


Have yourself a merry little Christmas (Christmas Calendar 2020)

by Iwassupposedtostudy



Category: Gentleman Jack (TV)
Genre: Awkward and desperate for love, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Special, F/F, I did this instead of studying so... I'm failing two things at the same time, I'm evidently bad at tagging., I'm just hopeless, Let them have cake!, One Shot, christmas calendar, prompts, so forgive the lovey-dovey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:07:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 44,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27747979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iwassupposedtostudy/pseuds/Iwassupposedtostudy
Summary: So. Here we are. Christmas is upon us and nothing is as usual. I for one wasn't born to sit idle - and I'm taking the whole thing of being alone rather hard. But luckily we have fanfiction - we can escape to worlds we'd much rather be in and ignore the utter chaos of our own lives for the time being and... you know, enjoy the chaos of others. Which is why I asked my sister to give me prompts so I could write this. It's helping me cope - seriously - I'm going mental. Can you imagine though, if they put Anne Lister in quarantine? - Maybe we should all be very happy that she never was...I'm getting away from the point... I did this for fun and I've got to warn you, some of the one shots might be a bit weird and so on and so forth - I blame my sister for the prompts... Anyway Hemingway - I hope someone might enjoy this, or at least some of the one shots! I implore you not to judge one by the other (they aren't all the same).Some of the credit should go to Tumblr from where I have nicked several quotes.Happy Christmas to all of you! Xx
Relationships: Anne Lister (1791-1840)/Ann Walker (1803-1854)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 97





	1. Decorations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the first day of Christmas and I haven't had a partridge sent to me in a pear tree... which is a shame. I'd love to have one.  
> But seeing as it is the first day of Christmas it is only right that we dive into the holiday spirit and decorate our halls with holly...  
> I'm going to pretend that I didn't do it on the first of November... let's carry on with the one shot... 
> 
> (Also the site refuses to let me post this on the first because they say it's the future? She's literally 00.04 and it's the 1/12... )
> 
> Prompt: Decorations
> 
> Anne needs some advice...

It was the day Anne had thought would never come. She was bracing herself just down the stairs, breathing in and out to build up the much-needed desperation to do what she found herself forced to do.  
“Are you alright?” Marian’s voice sounded from her side, and Anne jumped out of her skin, glaring at her sister with her hand resting over her beating heart.  
“For God’s sake Marian, you can’t just sneak up on people like that!”  
“I don’t sneak up on _people_. However, annoying creatures that I have the unfortune to be bound to for life because we are related by blood – now, those are my prey!” Marian told her well dry and Anne fought the urge to roll her eyes and swallowed every insult or argument that might have risen in her throat, she needed her sister to be on her side.  
“I actually needed to ask you something.” Anne revealed, looking at her shoes all the while – this was a low point, and she didn’t want to see the conceit rise in Marian’s eyes.  
Marian seemed astonished and turned around the room looking to see if there was someone else there her sister might be speaking to, before resting her eyes on Anne again, pointing her index finger at herself,  
“I’m sorry, are you talking to me!?”  
Anne didn’t blame Marian for the puzzlement, Anne was surprised herself that those words had come out of her mouth.  
“I need to hear some advice.” Anne continued slowly; this was excruciating.   
Marian was stunned into silence, staring at her sister in utter disbelief for a while,  
“Sorry? You want to… you are asking me for advice? Are you well?”  
“I’m not going to take it. I just want to hear it!” Anne countered twisting a little, this situation wasn’t comfortable for her at all. Anne reckoned Marian would be smug about this for ever and never let it die down that her sister had asked her advice on anything.  
“Ah, so the great Anne Lister admits that she needs some help?” Marian’s voice was dripping of smugness and Anne felt the urge to give her sister a slap across her conceited face, but controlled herself, biting down on her tongue hard, swallowing her own pride.  
“It’s called hitting rock-bottom, Marian.”  
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that, and only because I’m well intrigued about what this is all about; you needing my help…” Marian said crossing her arms, still looking way too pleased with herself. This must be what torture was like Anne thought to herself. Nothing could be quite as painful as this, needing to ask Marian for help – Anne had rather been beaten up again by that thug. At least that would’ve hurt less than this.  
“It’s about Ann.” Anne reluctantly said, and Marian’s eyebrow shot up and her stare sharpened, and her hands flew to her hips,  
“What have you done now?”  
“Why do you always assume I have done anything?” Anne snapped offended, but Marian’s sharp look didn’t waver,  
“Well, to be fair, you are pretty good at getting into scrapes with people. I’d say it was a qualified guess.”  
“Anyway.” Anne ignored Marian, hoping that this conversation would be over soon. She didn’t like to be at the mercy of her sister. It was unnerving and uncanny – Anne didn’t like it one bit.  
“Ah, so. Here’s the thing. Ann wants to decorate the hall for the season.” Anne began and Marian’s whole face scrunched up,  
“Hold up! No. Anne. Do not tell me that his whole thing… This isn’t about your ridiculous stance not to decorate because _you_ for some odd reason loathe everything Christmas?”  
“It’s not a ridiculous stance. It’s about the fact that it takes all the attention away from what Christmas is truly about.” Anne argued irritated and Marian rolled her eyes at her, sighing loudly,  
“You don’t believe that! It’s about you, and your disappointments around Christmas – Do not think that we don’t know. We do. Lord knows we do! You cannot make this a religious thing, Anne!”   
Anne wrung her hands, refusing to look directly at Marian – she was running out of patience, but Marian had also touched a nerve.  
“Christmas is about Christ being born and the salvation of man. How could I not make that religious?”  
“Yes. We know! But it’s also about loving and appreciating your neighbour and if decorating your home gives joy to others – then I have a very hard time thinking that Christ would mind!” Marian was done with her sister making everything about herself all the time. She had hardly been home the past Christmases and even then, they weren’t allowed to decorate in any way. Marian didn’t mind so much, but if Ann wanted to hang some holly around the house, she sure wouldn’t tell her no – she would love for the halls to be festive again.  
“So. The thing is…” Anne began disregarding Marian’s outburst, “Ann wants to decorate, and I wanted to ask you if you might have an idea of how to tell her gently but firmlythat we will not, hm?”  
Marian exhaled loudly, pressing her fingers to her forehead, her sister was truly the biggest headache to be found.  
“I think you are an idiot.”  
“Excuse me?” Anne’s eyebrows furrowed as she eyed her sister with a so offended look that it was almost comical.  
“Why does it matter? If Ann wants to decorate – let her! Why should we all have a lousy Christmas just because you were, I don’t know, _rejected_ around the holidays once a lifetime ago?!” Marian scolded her and Anne’s face turned into a scowl,  
“Oh so I’m ruining Christmas? Then, maybe I should just leave, and come back after the holiday – so you can all do as you like! Never mind me.”  
“Are you listening to yourself right now? Anne, seriously. I’m not trying to be mean, but you are being a bit of a self-centred prat at the moment. Are you unhappy or what is the matter with you?” Marian could’ve shouted at her sister considering all the frustration that was built up within her, but for once she remained calm, not letting her emotions rule her. Anne just stared at her for a second, she couldn’t believe that her sister had just called her selfish. Maybe she was? – Anne winched slightly she didn’t like the sound of that; _Selfish._  
“Unhappy? No. I’m quite content, why would you say I was unhappy?” Anne observed her sister closely, waiting for a reply.  
“Because of this!” Marian gestured to her sister,  
“Now, I understand if Christmas has been hard on you, or that it might bring back some really unpleasant memories for you, but shouldn’t you rise above that? Put it behind you? Whatever happened that made you loathe and resent the holidays; you’re just letting that win over and over again by giving into the power it has over you. And besides, you are happy now! You have Ann – why would you colour her Christmas with a past that doesn’t even exist anymore?” Marian stared into her dark eyes, trying to make her see what she was saying, and for once her only motif was to help Anne earnestly, and what more – trying to stop Anne from hurting Ann inadvertently.  
Anne pressed her fingertips against her head, as she processed what Marian was telling her. She was right, wasn’t she? – No matter how hard that was to admit. Anne was being selfish, and she was letting her past impact her present by making her bitter and glum around Christmas.  
“You’re right.” Anne muttered eventually and Marian’s eyes grew wide as she stared at her sister, her mouth almost falling through the floor, she couldn’t believe her ears,  
“What was that?”  
Anne sighed loudly, her eyes fluttering upwards before meeting Marian’s gaze again,  
“You are right!”  
“Wow, I never thought this day would come… it feels oddly unsettling, to be right, but I think I rather like it.” Marian simpered at her and Anne groaned before pushing past her sister, bumping into her shoulder harshly and fully intentional,  
“Don’t get used to it!”  



	2. Cold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the second day of Christmas and unfortunately this one shot contains no turtle doves. It does however contain much of the lyrics from 'Baby it's cold outside'. I'd be a fool if I tried to convince anyone that it wasn't.  
> So I guess it's a reenactment of the song via a fanfiction? - I'm not sure. 
> 
> Prompt: Cold. 
> 
> Ann doesn't want Anne to leave.

It had been a cold day; whatever one dressed in the coldness seemed to seep in in any case. Anne had been tending to her estate affairs all day, and despite wearing a much too thin coat, which she had found out the hard way, she had popped in at Crow Nest to sit with Ann for a bit during the late afternoon. It was pit dark outside, and the snow was blowing up into a storm, a mild blizzard. Anne glanced out the window with a concerned look, thinking she better get out and scurry home if she didn’t want to end up in a ditch – freezing to death. The fireplace they were sat in front of, was however much more inviting than the outside, but Anne had promised she wouldn’t be later than ten and she would soon forsake that promise if she didn’t leave in a moment or so.  
“I really can’t stay a moment longer.” Anne said regrettably, she did want to stay, both in-front of the warmth of that fire, and she did want to sleep with her arms around Ann rather than leave but, she had promised her aunt, and Marian had heard her, so...  
“But… it’s so cold outside?” Ann mumbled looking at her a bit doe-eyed, she didn’t want Anne to go out in the storm that was picking up.  
“Ah, I’ve got to go. I…” Anne smiled a half-smile; she could barely look into those precious blue eyes that looked the way a puppy might eye its mistress. She would give her the world if she caved in and looked properly. That woman had a hold on her that even Anne sometimes feared.  
“But Anne… it’s freezing out there?” Ann continued; she wasn’t going to give in this time.  
Anne stood up from the chair she had been sat in, touching Ann’s cheek with her hand, beaming,  
“This evening has been lovely…”  
“Oh, I was so happy to see your face – I’d been hoping you’d drop in all day!” Ann said in such a sweet voice that Anne almost sank down in her seat again. This woman was too good, too kind for this world. She didn’t deserve all the terrible things that had befallen her. Ann sneaked her hand in hers to force her to stay and her blue gleaming eyes shot up to meet Anne’s dark ones, and Ann’s mouth opened as she frowned,  
“Anne! Your hands are like ice! - Come sit – I’ll warm them up for you.”  
Anne chuckled at the blonde, her heart beating a bit faster in her chest – yes, she very much felt the danger of falling madly in love with Ann Walker.  
“I fear my aunt will start to worry if I do not make it home soon.” Anne spoke softly, disappointing the blonde but feeling it deeply herself. How she wanted to stay.  
“What’s the hurry!?” Ann asked her, still holding her hands in hers,  
“Ah, Ann, my father will be up until I come back.” Anne tried smiling apologetic, stroking Ann’s knuckles with her thumbs, and Ann chewed her own lip seemingly in thought, glancing up at the tall woman in-front of her,  
“It’s… the fire is roaring – you’d be much warmer here.”  
“I really better scurry, Ann.”  
“Anne, please don’t hurry!” Ann begged, squeezing her hands in hers, trying to tug them a little to persuade the brunette to give her a kiss.  
“Maybe just a few moments more.” Anne mumbled as she leant down to graze Ann’s lips with hers, kissing her soft and sweet but Ann soon demanded more than just sweet kisses from her. Anne chuckled against her pink lips, sinking down to her knees to be able to reach better and to spare her back. Ann’s hands ran from her cheeks to her hair, and Anne felt all toasty and warm, be it from the fire behind her back or from the feelings arising in her from kissing the woman in front of her. When Ann’s hands began to trail down, Anne stopped her hands with her own, and ended their kissing, smiling at the expression on Ann’s face. She looked drunk on passion.  
“Ann, I’d better go before the neighbours start to imagine things about us.” Anne told her, pressing a chaste kiss to her lips, Ann pouted as Anne’s lips left hers,  
“But it’s bad out there! They wouldn’t think anything…” Ann trailed off as she brushed her fingers against Anne’s cheeks, lifting her lips to meet hers again, Anne groaned, her resolve breaking with every second of that kiss,  
“What are you doing to me!?” Anne mumbled more to herself than to Ann, but the blonde smirked pleased,  
“There are no kisses to be had out there…”  
Ann kissed her again, and Anne pulled away, supporting herself with her hands, on Ann’s arms, she bowed her head down, shaking it slowly,  
“I wish I knew how to break this spell!”  
Ann chuckled quietly, lifting Anne’s eyes to hers with a finger under her chin. Anne could drown in Ann’s eyes. Ann gently ran her fingers over her cheek again, and then proceeded to say, in a dreamy sort of voice;  
“Your eyes are so beautiful tonight, with the light reflected in them... They look like deep pools of rich chocolate.”   
Anne averted her eyes, for fear of giving in, chuckling as she stood up to her full height again, placing the top hat that had been next to her chair over her head. Ann stood up from her chair and onto her toes to reach the brunette’s lips again – she was bound to kiss them sore if she continued that way, not that Anne really minded. The kiss was a drug to Anne that melted her resolve to leave and Ann smiled at her before pushing the top hat off her head,  
“I’ll take that – your hair looks so lush!”  
Anne laughed out loud this time, shaking her head at Ann - this woman was full of surprises it seemed, and clearly, she must suffer under the delusion that _she_ was the most exquisite thing, Anne thought to herself.  
“I ought to get home before they send someone out looking for me!” Anne protested, but found herself being pushed down on the chair again by Ann who apparently was frightfully strong when she had put her mind to something. If Anne had been surprised by Ann’s behaviour for the past twenty minutes or so – she was astonished when the blonde sank down on her knee,  
“Mind if I move in closer?” Ann quirked an eyebrow at her, and Anne found herself swallowing hard, how was she supposed to leave this woman!? – It didn’t make sense, Anne thought for a weak second as she rubbed her hands against Ann’s thighs, ‘At least I will tell them I tried’. It was frightfully cold outside wasn’t it? Ann kissed her softly, a bit careful – maybe she was beginning to think she had overstepped the mark? Anne reluctantly ended a second kiss,  
“I really can’t stay!”  
‘Believe you me, I want to’ Anne thought bitterly, as she stared into the disappointed blue eyes belonging to Ann.  
“But, Anne, it’s so cold outside! – Hadn’t you rather stay here?” Ann tempted her and, Anne much as she wanted, laughed strained,  
“Oh, I… I simply must go, Ann!”  
“But your coat – it’s much too thin!” Ann persisted, she wasn’t going to give in, and what more – she wasn’t moving from Anne’s knee.  
“I can’t.”  
“Are you sure? – It’s cold!”  
“I… this has all been very nice… and warm, but…” Anne was interrupted, by Ann’s pleading voice,  
“Look out the window, at that storm! You shouldn’t go out. It’s dangerous!”  
“Marian will be suspicious…” Anne shrugged her shoulder lightly, but Ann didn’t seem too concerned about Marian for her eyes were eying Anne’s lips intently,  
“Christ, your lips look delicious!”  
Anne almost blushed at that, Miss Walker was, and had become great at the kissing, and then to be wanted too… Anne closed her eyes – no she would persevere.  
“She will be waiting at the door to yell at me for coming home this late…”  
Ann seemed to ignore her because she took Anne’s lips between hers, and kissed her slow and hard, Anne suppressed a moan, and Ann pulled back, smirking at her,  
“Your lips are delicious…”  
“Ah, hah, my aunt, Ann – I promised her! - And besides Mrs. Priestley will no doubt find out I stayed and… her mind is vicious…”  
Ann gave her a serious look, because even though she wanted badly for Anne to stay for other reasons too, she was worried about the weather outside.  
“There is a literal blizzard outside, Anne!”  
“Yes, but it’s fine! I’ve got to get home.” Anne told her firmly, and Ann crossed her arms, displeased with her,  
“Anne, you’ll freeze out there!”  
“If you would lend me a coat or something, a cloak perhaps?” Anne retorted and Ann seemed aggravated with her,  
“It’s up to your knees out there!”  
“You’ve really been grand, tonight, but don’t you see?” Anne spoke softly, touching Ann’s cheek with her now warm hand, Ann placed her hand over the hand that rested on her cheek, and closed her eyes, leaning into it,  
“How can you do this thing to me?!”  
“Well, there’s bound to be talk tomorrow… and you know what they say about me!” Anne pressed, her voice shaking a bit,  
“Think of my lifelong sorrow then!” Ann threw at her and Anne looked confused, raising an eyebrow,  
“At least there will be plenty implied…and what do you mean your lifelong sorrow!?”  
“You know? If you caught pneumonia and died!?” Ann looked worriedly at her, and Anne’s heart throbbed for the woman – she was too sweet.  
“I’ve…”  
“Anne, please don’t leave me alone!” Ann begged, and Anne made a fatal mistake – she looked directly into the pools of blue that were brimming with tears, and her heart stopped for a second,  
“Fine…” Anne mumbled before kissing her tenderly, and Ann laughed gaily,  
“That took a lot of convincing!”  
“Hm, but you will face them and tell them the truth – that you forced me to stay!”  
“I’ll tell them I abducted you against your will and that you are now in my… eh, hands?” Ann threw her a cheeky smile and then they both laughed.  
“Now, let me warm you up sufficiently, Miss Walker.” Anne told her grinning, and Ann blushed,  
“That is all I hoped for this evening!”  
Anne was delighted to hear it, and she made a mental note to remember this behaviour of Ann’s – she who would be so on the amoroso at night would blush and deny the same in the morning. Ann really was a perfect lady… as long as no one got her under the sheets…


	3. Christmas tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the third day of Christmas and I haven't three French hens - I do have a Pekin Bantam cock called Napoleon though so... same thing.  
> This one shot does actually carry some historical accuracy - I researched it... It was for a long while mostly a custom of the Royals though - but as we all know Anne loves the thought of hanging out with royalty - at least if we should believe Sally's script. 
> 
> Anyway, enjoy! =) 
> 
> Prompt: Christmas Tree
> 
> Anne gets a tree for Aunt Anne...

Anne had been gone all day trying her best to help Booth and the other men find a good tree for her aunt Anne, who dearly wanted a Christmas tree – just like the royals. When they had finally found a suitable tree that weren’t too big or too small, they chopped it down and made for home. The only downside, which to be fair, wasn’t really a downside, was that it had become dark. Anne was late for dinner and she knew what a scolding she could expect from Marian and she didn’t wish that annoying prattle on anyone – not even her worst enemy.  
The snow had begun falling at a quicker pace as well, and they tried their best to hurry home through the snowy fields of Shibden. Anne was a good few feet ahead of the men, she had no time to spare, with every minute there was two added to the beratement Marian would inflict on her as soon as she arrived inside. The house looked warm and inviting, making Anne for a second forget what hell awaited her. She wondered how Ann had been all day and felt a little guilty to have been away from early morning till now. Poor Ann had been stuck with Marian, and had no doubt, needed to hear for the past hour of how rude Anne was, with her being late and so on.  
Anne braced herself and opened the heavy outer door and stepped inside the warmth. Much to her surprise Marian didn’t appear before her to scold her. She wondered for a moment if her sister had fallen gravely ill during the day, but then she heard their laughter coming from the dining room. She brushed the snow off from her coat, before taking it off, handing it and her hat to Joseph who stood ready to accept it and then she straightened her cravat before heading into the dining room.  
“Hello.” Anne called on their attention and the occupants of the table looked up at her,  
“Oh, you’re still alive.” Marian said sardonically with half an eye on her sister and Anne glared at her,  
“Don’t sound so disappointed, I might start to think you don’t like me.”  
“To be fair, when I do care and worry – you get cross with me.” Marian replied her then and Anne grimaced – that was true.  
“Mm.”  
“Where have you been all day?” Ann wondered as the brunette sank down in the seat next to hers, and Anne smiled,  
“I met with Mr. Parker and then I was off in the woods with um, Booth to find a Christmas tree for Aunt.”  
“You didn’t!” Aunt Anne cried gleeful, and Anne smiled wide at her,  
“Of course I did! You wanted one, and you’ve wanted to have one for years. Who was I to deny you one, Aunt?”  
“Oh, this is… Anne! Thank you.” Aunt Anne was almost teary, and Anne couldn’t’ help but chuckle kindly at her, it was such a joy to make her Aunt happy and content with what she could.  
“Why though?” Marian asked, and Anne shot her a glare, such a Marian thing to do – question something that only brought them good.  
“Because it’ll look elegant and pretty.” Anne replied with half-a-look on Marian, still smiling at her aunt who looked well excited.  
“Do people do that? Bring trees into the house?” Marian continued, her face all a wonder, and Anne was about to answer her with a somewhat annoyed tone when Ann jumped in to prevent the atmosphere from turning unfriendly and hostile around the table.  
“Yes! Well, it’s not the done thing in Britain, but the Royal family has had several every year since Queen Charlotte. It’s very popular among the Germans – and apparently the Danes.” Ann hurriedly said but with good humour and Marian’s frown turned into a smile, it was easier to listen to Ann’s kind tones than that of her sister.  
“Oh, well then – a Christmas tree! Shibden Hall setting the example.” Marian joked, but Anne gave a serious nod,  
“I do think it’ll catch on! It’s a pretty thing and looks rather festive. I saw such beautifully decorated trees when I was in Copenhagen during the winter.”   
“It really does give you that festive feeling, we should decorate it together!” Ann said excited, she did love Christmas after all and the more decorations – the better. Aunt Anne seemed thrilled with that idea, and she clasped her hands together,  
“Oh, I would so love for us to do it all together! The whole family!”  
“Let’s get it inside then so we can bring this new delightful tradition to life!” Marian beamed at her aunt, anything to make that woman gleeful for the time she had left.  
“Yes, the more Christmas decorations – the better!” Ann nodded gay as anyone,  
“Hm, in all fairness it isn’t a tradition until you’ve done it at least three times.” Anne budged in and all three women looked at her un-amused, and Ann threw a bread roll at her to shut her up,  
“Let’s get going then so it can be a tradition in the course of time.”  
Marian followed Ann’s statement by throwing another bread roll at Anne and she growled,  
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?”  
Without so much as a word, Aunt Anne threw a third bread roll at Anne and she hit her fist down on the table,  
“Stop throwing bread rolls at me!”  
Ann still held onto hers, and smiled at Anne ever so innocently,  
“Oh I’m sorry, but it’s become a tradition.”  
Then she threw it and they all laughed at Anne’s sulky expression but then she took one of them in her hands and the women stood up quickly from the table,  
“Was that John I heard? Coming in with the tree?” Marian feigned and ran out the door, and Ann followed her with Aunt Anne under her arm as quick as they could, and Anne rolled her eyes.  
“Women eh?”  
“You’re a woman!” Captain Lister told her and then threw the last bread roll at her before leaving to help with the tree. Christmas, eh? 


	4. Carol Singing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the fourth day of Christmas and there's been no... I don't know why I keep making references to the Twelve days of Christmas song... Who gets those types of gifts anyway? And I haven't got anyone to give them... So. 
> 
> Today however, the one shot contains not a songbird but singing... sort of. It was largely inspired by myself and the fact that my singing teacher told me the first time we met - you must be an alto considering how you speak... I am a soprano, oh yeah - f3 is no problem for me. It does sound ridiculous coming from me though...  
> So here we are... 
> 
> There's going to be a Christmas Carol charity event... Anne's not thrilled.

For once Anne was spending an afternoon inside with her wife and her sister. Aunt Anne and her father were up resting in their beds, the cold giving them various cramps.  
The women sat quietly for the moment be, each occupied with their own; Ann sat drawing in her sketchpad, Marian embroidered, and Anne sat reading an interesting book. They were all content and warm in front of the roaring fire. The outside was looking rather glum this afternoon and they hadn’t expected anyone to call at all during the day, but then there was a knock on the front-door and all ladies looked up at each other. They stared at each other, as if trying to see who of them, was the reason for this sudden call,  
“Are you expecting anyone?” Marian asked Anne who shook her head, keeping her index finger in her book, hoping to return to it soon. Anatomy was such a curious thing to read about.  
“No. Not that I’m aware off. Business calls needs to be appointed. Aren’t you expecting someone?”  
“No, or I wouldn’t have asked you!” Marian growled, and then as if on cue both sisters turned their eyes to Ann,  
“You’re not expecting anyone are you?” Anne inquired looking at her carefully and Ann raised her eyebrows,  
“If I did, wouldn’t I have told you so before?”  
“Then who makes a call at this hour?” Marian asked and Anne grimaced, looking at her pocket-watch,  
“Well, she is only four. Social calls might still be made for another hour.”  
“Oh, well done! So, you do know about the rules of etiquette?” Marian patronised her sister and Anne glared at her,  
“I happen to be very well versed in etiquette and so on and so forth – I went to one of the better private girl schools in England.”  
“Yes, and then you got yourself expelled, mind you!” Marian commented dryly and Anne rolled her eyes at her, sighing dramatically,  
“Hm, but it wasn’t because I didn’t know the rules of etiquette…”  
Anne winked at Ann whose mouth twitched upwards as she shook her head.  
“No, you started a riot, we all know!” Marian sighed annoyed, and Anne’s whole face scrunched up in confusion,   
“A riot? Who told you that nonsense, Marian?”  
“Mother.”  
Anne’s eyes could’ve got stuck up in a constant eye-roll, of course their idiotic mother had told Marian all kinds of lies. Anne stared at Marian with a tired look,  
“I didn’t start a riot – mind I might have wished I did, viva la revolution and all that… You’d seriously take the word of a raging alcoholic?”  
“Don’t call our mother that.” Marian turned uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes darting from Anne to the wall behind her.  
“She’s dead and besides she’s your mother, she disowned me.” Anne replied sharply, “And anyway…”  
Anne had no time to carry the argument any further or go into depth about her being expelled from school – for Joseph hurried inside the room, with his waistcoat buttoned wrong and Anne almost brought her hand to her face – must he always be so featherheaded? She might have a word with him later on the importance of display and opening the door quickly et cetera, Anne thought.  
“Ma’am, Mrs Smith and Miss Smith...”  
“Show them in, Joseph.” Anne told him waving her hand, wishing for it to be over soon. Not that she minded them overly much. It was the new reverend of Lightcliffe church’s wife and daughter, and they were good people, but Anne rather wanted to soon spend some time alone with her wife and wasn’t in the mood to be deterred for long.   
  
Mrs Smith and Miss Smith were showed into the sitting room, and the women stood up to greet them properly. They both wore their bonnets and wraps, and Anne almost let out a breath of relief – they wouldn’t stay long!  
“I hope we’re not disturbing you, Miss Lister, or Miss Marian nor Miss Walker.”  
“Ah, not at all. But please sit down!” Anne gestured with her hand to the sofa and the women sat down.  
“Would you like some tea, Mrs Smith, Miss Smith?” Ann asked, eying them kindly and miss Smith glanced nervously at her mother but the older woman shook her head, to which Miss Smith seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, fidgeting nervously with the ends of her wrap, looking solely at her feet.  
“Thank you kindly, Miss Walker but we must soon be on our way.”  
“Is there anything we can do for you, Mrs Smith?” Anne wondered and the woman smiled,  
“Well, actually we came to talk about the Christmas carol singing charity.”  
“Oh?” Anne raised an eyebrow – that was the sort of new idea that always came with a fresh pair of heads in the start. Overachieving to make a mark so they might be included in the community quicker. She wondered how long that sort of enthusiasm would last.  
“It’s on the twentieth, but we will have a practice in the church a few times till then.”  
“How lovely.” Marian chimed in and, Mrs. Smith nodded excitedly in agreement,  
“Yes, and such an unexpected number of participants! I am overwhelmed.”  
“How are you planning on executing the actual event?” Anne tried to sound interested, more than she actually was; carol singing wasn’t Anne’s cup of tea.  
“We will be a walking choir down in Halifax, singing for a few hours, but I thought Miss Walker might’ve told you already!?” Mrs. Smith glanced at Miss Walker briefly, and the blonde flushed slightly as Anne’s eyes bore into her, and Ann looked away at the suddenly interesting book on the side-table.  
“Oh, I was going to tell her today. But I haven’t had the time.” Ann replied with quick looks at her wife who looked at her with a look that said, ‘What on earth have you done!?’.  
“I’m sorry I didn’t know! I didn’t mean to spring a surprise on you, Miss Lister.” Mrs Smith apologised but Anne, keen to not make the woman uncomfortable, raised a hand,  
“It’s fine, I was a bit surprised is all. I didn’t know Ann would be joining you. Tell me if I can make any contribution to the charity, and I shall see what I can do.”  
“Oh, Miss Lister, you and Miss Walker joining the choir is quite enough, trust me!” Mrs Smith smiled wide and Anne laughed in-disbelief, turning her head to the blonde, looking at her with wide eyes,  
“Ah, that’s… I’m looking forward to it, Mrs. Smith.”  
Anne maintained a warm smile for show, she would give the new reverend’s wife nothing to remark upon to their neighbours on other calls. Mrs. Smith offered a wide smile in return, clasping her hands together with some excitement.  
“We are so looking forward to having you with us, Miss Lister. To think, when I proposed the idea to Mrs. Priestley up at New house, she was so certain…. You know, she told me it would be an impossible feat to get you to participate. But here we are.”   
Anne responded only with a smile, from which you could tell, if you knew her well, that she really was seriously displeased and infuriated by what was said.  
“Well, we best be on our way, but the first practice is on Thursday afternoon in Lightcliffe Church, four o’clock.” Mrs. Smith stood up and Miss Smith followed her mother, looking terribly shy and uncomfortable and all three of the women tried smiling at her pleasantly to ease her,  
“Thank you for stopping by, Mrs. Smith and Miss Smith!” Marian told them with a kind smile and then they all took leave, and the three women were left on their own again.  
  
“Mrs Smith is lovely, isn’t she? Though perhaps a bit intense and the tiniest bit vulgar.” Marian commented, turning her eyes from the door where they had disappeared to her sister and Ann again. They didn’t look at her, nor mind her which annoyed Marian and she was just about to repeat her saying but weren’t given any time.  
“Ann, I would like a word with you.” Anne said sternly, giving her the eye, and Ann twisted feeling quite uneasy where she stood and bit her lip - a nervous tic of hers,  
“Mm.”  
“I’m not leaving this room.” Marian crossed her arms, looking at Anne defiantly, prepared to defend the blonde from her sister, and Anne raised an eyebrow, well dry,  
“Good. Ann, my study – now!”  
Anne pushed Ann gently in front of her and Marian tried to come with but was hindered by Anne shoving her away with a strong hand to her shoulder. Marian looked affronted but Anne paid her no heed as she turned to walk after Ann to her study.  
  
Anne closed the door behind them to her study, spinning around on her heel to face the blonde, wearing a mad look,  
“What on earth have you done!? Ann!”  
“I’m sorry! Anne, I’m so sorry – she was so kind and I… suddenly I had agreed to this thing!” Ann hurriedly tried to explain, and Anne banged her head against her hand resting on the wall, staring at Ann, looking infuriated and a bit wild,  
“And you dragged me into it?! Why?”  
“Anne… I didn’t mean to!” Ann cried, not sure if she should approach the angered brunette or not, Anne sighed, opening her arms up, upset,  
“I can’t sing!”  
“What?” Ann furrowed her eyebrows, “I know you can hold a tune…”  
“That’s not the point! The point is that it’ll ruin my reputation.” Anne groaned, and Ann seemed confused by her statement, her forehead wrinkling,  
“Ruin your reputation? What do you mean, Anne?!”  
“I can’t sing alto.” Anne mumbled aggravated, and Ann blinked, not sure she understood why her wife was so upset by that,  
“It’ll ruin your reputation because you can’t sing alto!? How?”

“Because Ann – it will sound odd! My voice is low, my character strong but God gave me the singing voice of a… ah, I’m a soprano, Ann.” Anne dragged a hand dramatically over her face and Ann just stood staring at her, not sure why Anne was acting out a tragedy,  
“Why are you saying that like it’s a terrible thing though, Anne?”  
“Ah, because it’s bad enough people call me a man, they do not need a reason to call me a castrato too!” Anne cried annoyed and Ann bit down on her lip hard, chewing it perturbed.   
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just… she cornered me, going on about how much good it would do, guilting me, and you know I cannot abide with that kind of pressure!”  
Anne softened considerably as she noticed how Ann’s shoulders tensed, she didn’t want her to get upset or work herself into a state of great anxiety. She had understood from the little she had heard that Mrs. Smith could be quite manipulative, even if she was kind and meant well. She must’ve realised that ambushing Ann with the query had a higher chance of succeeding. Anne put her arms around her and kissed her over the hair, sighing,   
“It’s fine. She was wrong to do that. To push you to accept, by preying on your social anxiety and will to please others, and what more, ask that you accept on my behalf as well. What an absolute vulgar woman!”  
“I didn’t tell you because I knew, I knew you would be cross!” Ann mumbled, resting on her shoulder and Anne frowned, placing a gentle kiss by her ear as she held her a bit tighter to herself,  
“I don’t want you to fear telling me anything – ever! I should always be your first thought, just as you are mine.”  
“No, I know, it’s just…” Ann sighed, and Anne let her hands glide down her back to rest on the small of her back,  
“I know. But just so you are aware – we will make our excuses; tell them we have to go to York to see… hm anyone really. Maybe pretend we have to meet Dr Belcombe?”  
Ann lifted her head from her shoulder, frowning,  
“Won’t they be terribly cross and upset if we don’t show up? Especially since it’s us. Won’t they talk?”  
Anne shook her head, smiling, kissing her nose,  
“No! We’ll give the charity a kind, and somewhat generous donation and I’m certain, it will all be well. And in any case, I won’t be bullied into anything by anyone, least of all someone who daren’t even approach me personally with the query but inflicts themselves on my wife forcing her to accept it on my behalf.”  
“Thank God… I don’t think I could sing in front of a crowd. I would die on the spot!” Ann breathed relieved and Anne kissed her sweetly, lingering for a second longer, giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead too before pulling away, smiling at her tenderly,  
“We can sing Christmas carols at home, if you like. Without the pressure of having an audience listening, just us: me, you, my Aunt, Marian and we’re in luck my father, who is half-deaf.”  
“I thought you didn’t do that. I thought you hated Christmas carols.” Ann gazed at her amused, her worries gone with the kisses.  
“Well, for you I’ll make an exception. I’d do absolutely anything for you – you know that!” Anne laughed before sharing a loving kiss with her wife,  
“Except for apparently singing in a choir down in Halifax.” Ann smirked and Anne gasped, eyes widening,  
“You didn’t want that either! If worse had come to worse – I would have done it for you!”  
“Does that mean that you will sing that Italian aria you had to learn in school for me?” Ann batted her eyes towards her and Anne laughed,  
“Hm, only it would be such a shame for I’d have to kill you and then myself.”  
“Shame, I would have loved to travel to Italy in my mind.”  
“Not to worry, I will take you there...” Anne winked, and Ann flushed but laughed all the same, kissing her wife fondly on the lips, letting the kiss make a crescendo ending appassionato.  
Christmas couldn’t be anything but good with love and kisses like that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A castrato was a male that were castrated to keep the voice of a boy... their range was often that of a soprano's but as their lung capacity was greater etc. it meant their voices was more flexible and so on and so forth. In some cases you singled out maybe about a hundred boys and castrated them in hopes that at least one or two would make excellent singers.  
> This was prohibited everywhere in the late 19th century but there is a recording of the last castrato on YouTube if someone wants a listen. It's sounds dead creepy!


	5. Time together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this one is a bit weird or you know, rather a lot... and maybe a tad out of character for Ann... then again she did surprise us all in the last episode of Gentleman Jack... I don't know. But I had this idea and I needed to get it out of my system haha, though it isn't I grant, my finest. Anyway, enjoy! Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Time together 
> 
> Ann cannot stand the way people talk about Anne.

It was the middle of December and for once the sun was out shining its light on all of them. Anne had accompanied Ann down to Halifax for the day as the blonde had begged her to, and Anne couldn’t say no to spend some extra time with her wife. In any case Anne was running out of ink and it was of great importance to her to always have some so she at any given time could unburden her mind on paper.  
  
They bought ink for Anne, and stepped out of the shop, deciding to pop over the street to have a look in the bookshop, one could never have too many books. In fact, Anne was one of the more cherished customers there, and was always assisted by Mr Whitley himself.  
On their way over there, there was a couple of men calling to them on the other side of the street, a bit away from the pub and they were clearly drunk,  
“There goes that ‘man’.”  
Anne was of a mind to ignore them, but Ann wasn’t equally practiced in doing that. She tensed a bit and Anne wanted to reach out for her to keep her going, to calm her but she daren’t, not with so many eyes on them.  
“Miss Walker, you best step away from that Jack!” Another man shouted and Ann was disturbed, she halted, she didn’t like it when people shouted things, especially not the drunk men. It made her feel uncomfortable and uneasy – her heart was racing in her chest.   
“Don’t mind them, Ann! - Just keep walking.” Anne murmured quietly, hardly moving her lips, and Ann tried to calm her breath and did pick up her pace again with Anne. But when they passed them directly one of them growled, feeling brave with his beer still in hand,  
“Show us your cock then!”  
Anne let the insults roll of her, but Ann dug her heels into the gravel and turned to them, fire burning behind her eyes,   
“Excuse me, Sir, but what is your problem!?”  
“Sorry?” The man seemed confused at being talked back to, and Ann glared at him,  
“I asked you what your problem was!?”  
“Ann…” Anne tried discreetly as she noticed people starting to look their way, but Ann was much too upset to hear her, she merely stared down the man.  
“You should stay away from that Jack, miss Walker.” The man hissed, and Ann looked if possible angrier at that, and Anne tried as well as she could to nudge Ann gently to get her going.  
“What did you call her?!”  
The man grinned, showing of his blackened teeth and he reeked of spirits,  
“Why do you care so much about that dirty fucking Jack…”  
Without a second thought, or a second’s hesitation Ann punched the man in the nose surprising everyone, even Ann herself. She looked between the man’s bleeding nose and her bruised knuckles stunned and Anne did the only thing she could think of, placed her hands on Ann’s shoulders leading her away from the men before they regained their senses - there was really no need for a proper fight.  
  
When they were on the road back to Shibden, Ann finally turned to Anne, white in the face, shaking,  
“I… did I really punch him?”  
“Yes.” Anne replied amused at Ann’s expression, and the woman whimpered,  
“Oh, no… I shouldn’t have. Did anyone see?!”  
“Half of Halifax. You throw a good punch though, I’m glad I wasn’t at the receiving end. You need to work on your technique though, or your poor knuckles will be black and blue” Anne tried to lighten the mood, touching her bruised knuckles gently, but Ann looked miserable,  
“I have embarrassed you! Humiliated us and possibly outed us.”  
“No. If anyone asks, you only defended your friend.” Anne ran the back of her fingers against Ann’s cheek affectionately, making sure no one was there to see them. Ann exhaled slowly trying to calm herself and the fast-growing anxiety within her chest.  
“You are not cross with me?”  
“Cross? No. To tell the truth I’m impressed.” Anne smiled at her to show she wasn’t cross in the slightest, she was touched that her wife had stood up for her, even if it was unnecessary to put herself on the spot like that; Anne could bear the comments, but she couldn’t bear Ann bruising herself for her sake.  
“You aren’t just saying that to be nice?” Ann trembled, and Anne shook her head decidedly,  
“No! Don’t fret, darling. It’s fine… obviously we might need to explain it to some, but hey, if we managed to get married without anyone knowing – we could get away with anything!”  
Ann laughed at her fidgeting with her gloves, as they were on their way again,  
“They told me you were good at running rings around people.”  
“Unfair!” Anne huffed but a smile still played her lips.  
“What’s unfair?”  
“You’ve had people telling you all my secrets. Whereas no one told me that Miss Walker could knock someone out! All though I should’ve guessed it – after all you knocked me to the floor when I turned around and saw your face that time.”  
“Oh, you are such a suck up sometimes.” Ann blushed pushing Anne playfully and the woman threw her a killer smile,  
“One tries.”  
  
“At least we got you your ink.” Ann said as they neared Shibden and Anne chuckled,  
“Yes. I am eternally grateful that you didn’t punch him before that, or I wouldn’t have been able to record it in my journal.”  
“You better write it down! - or no one will believe I ever did that.” Ann said humorously,  
“Don’t worry, I record everything in great detail.”  
“Not everything surely?” Ann wondered nervously,  
“Why shouldn’t I?”  
“Eh because what if someone finds it?!”  
“It’s not a concern, I always write about it in code.” Anne reassured her and whereas Ann was sort of aware of that, she still felt a little uneasy and funny about it sometimes.  
“You don’t think people will find it odd that we’ve been to Italy a couple times a week?”  
“No one will read it, and no one will crack the code!” Anne waved it off and Ann nodded, it wasn’t likely. Her worries melted away and they walked up to the front door of the house, talking in cheerful tones. It wasn’t to last however, they had barely made it inside when Marian appeared in the hallway, upset and with her hands on her hips.  
“What have you done now!?”  
Anne was taken aback, meeting her sister’s glare with a confused expression,  
“What have I done? Nothing!”  
“Uh, nothing?! Nothing!? I had one of the servants tell me they had heard someone say you were in a fight down in Halifax!” Marian barked, and Anne’s expression changed as she glanced at her wife who had become beet red in the face.  
“I wasn’t in a fight.” Anne replied Marian calmly, and she growled,  
“You punched Mr Pinewood in the nose! Blood everywhere!”  
Marian was being overdramatic for one, Anne thought but she couldn’t help it, she laughed loudly, snorting, and Marian became angrier with her,  
“It isn’t funny! This is Halifax, people talk!”  
Anne was bent in half, wheezing in laughter, whilst Ann stood quietly beside her, her cheeks burning hot. Marian shook with anger,  
“Stop laughing! You are so insensitive; you can’t just go mucking people about!”  
“I didn’t!” Anne managed to pant out, and Marian hit her over the head, and she winched,  
“Ouch, I didn’t!”  
“You are not being funny Anne!” Marian yelled at her and finally Ann managed to open her mouth, trembling,  
“She didn’t.”  
“What?” Marian stopped suddenly, eying the blonde, “They said Anne.”  
“It was me. I did it!” Ann confessed, cheeks crimson and Marian’s mouth fell open,  
“Are you jesting with me? Has Anne selfishly told you to take the blame?”  
“No.” Ann removed her glove and held out her bruised hand and Marian’s eyes went from it up to hers, in complete shock, her face all astonishment,  
“Why?”  
“He was being a bully. He said things about Anne.” Ann murmured embarrassed; she shouldn’t have done it. Anne gave her sister a smug look, as she finally had stopped laughing. Marian just stared, and then worry came over her face as she glanced at the coloured knuckles,   
“Are you alright?”  
“Uh, ‘are you alright’? What happened with all the ‘This is Halifax’ nonsense?” Anne huffed and Marian barely turned to her,  
“Well, for one Ann doesn’t get herself into these kinds of scrapes thrice a week.”  
“I won’t do it again. I overstepped the mark, and I think I will retire to my room for a while.” Ann said feeling rather low, she might’ve caused them a heap of troubles and it weighed heavily on her chest even if Anne told her it was fine. Before any of the sisters could interfere or stop her, Ann went past them and up the stairs, leaving them staring at her back and then at each other. Marian scowled at Anne and she hit her over the head again,  
“Go after her you thickhead!”   
“Who do you think you are calling a thickhead?” Anne growled, towering over her sister,  
“You can choose to fight me, but Ann is up there in need of some comfort because of you.” Marian said haughtily and Anne met her eyes with an angry look but decided to not argue and left her standing in the hallway, running up the stairs swiftly.  
  
“Adney.” Anne opened the door carefully, only to find Ann lying on bed, clutching her pillow to her face. She didn’t acknowledge Anne coming inside and Anne frowned, closing the door firmly behind her before hurrying to Ann’s side. She sank down on the bedside and touched her shoulder and neck with her hands,  
“Ann, what’s the matter?”  
Ann refused to be turned around by her, and Anne sighed, running gentle fingers over her neck, back and arms, trying to comfort her as best she could, knowing that Ann were at the mercy of her anxiety at the moment.  
“Come on talk to me, love!” Anne said softly, pressing a gentle kiss on her temple.  
“I’ve ruined everything!” Ann sniffled, her hands crampingly gripping the ends of her pillow.   
“No, Ann, you haven’t! Now why would you even think that?” Anne reassured her, touching her cheek gently, well the little of it she could, as her face was still very much turned into the pillow.   
“Won’t people understand now? And, and if they do, we, we won’t be…” Ann broke off sobbing and Anne lifted her up from the pillow, pulling her to rest against her chest, running warm, comforting hands over her back trying to ground her,   
“Hush, Ann, it will all die down. No one will know a thing!”  
“I don’t want to leave you!” Ann wept into her neck, and Anne kissed her face sweetly, peppered them wherever she could reach, holding her to her in a soft embrace.  
“You won’t be going anywhere! If anyone says anything, we’ll take it from there. But they won’t know. Trust me!”  
“God, what if I ruined everything!?” Ann’s arms wrapped around Anne’s waist tightly and Anne kissed her over the hair,  
“You haven’t! You were magnificent. Ann, no one has ever stood up for me like that! Now don’t put yourself down like that. Nothing’s happened yet!”  
Ann shuddered; her face still hidden in Anne’s neck. Anne kissed her nose, and then she placed her index finger under her chin, and raised her lips up to hers, kissing her affectionately, and Ann sank into her, responding eagerly, almost desperately to her kisses.  
When Ann’s hands began wandering, Anne stopped her, breaking of their kiss, smiling at her, pressing a kiss to her eyebrow,  
“Not now. We need to go back downstairs. Unfortunately. I promised Aunt Anne we would decorate the Christmas tree this afternoon.”  
Ann looked disappointed, but then her eyebrows furrowed,  
“Do you think they’ll be cross with me for causing such a scene down in Halifax?”  
“Good heavens, no! Ann don’t even think that for one second. As Marian said, I get into scrapes all the time, and I always manage to get out of them – they won’t resent you.”  
Anne told Ann kindly, kissing her cheek fondly – Ann really was irresistible sometimes.  
“I regret… well no, I don’t regret it. I don’t think they should talk to you like that. But maybe I shouldn’t have let my emotions rule me.” Ann mumbled and Anne laughed quietly,  
“As a rule, I never regret anything!”  
“Promise me we won’t be parted!” Ann gazed up at her, leaning against her shoulder and Anne’s voice was full of love for the woman in her arms,  
“We won’t. Never. They could never part us.”  
  
“I’m sorry for being such a bother sometimes.” Ann murmured after a while, holding onto Anne, and how Anne wanted to stay in that moment – she adored the woman in her arms, Ann who loved her just as she was. It was a mystery to Anne how such a wonderful being could have such qualms about herself – seeing herself as a burden often rather than for everything she truly was.  
“Will you be alright to come downstairs? I wouldn’t want to decorate the tree without you and Aunt wanted all of us there and knowing that she… with her legs.” Anne’s face fell slightly as she spoke, she didn’t like talking about Aunt Anne’s declining health, she was terrified of losing her. Ann took her hand in hers, kissing it tenderly,  
“No, I will be fine. Aunt Anne has been so kind – I wouldn’t want to let her down for the world.”  
“Besides it would be a sorry feat if Aunt Anne’s first Christmas tree was decorated in the sole company of Marian!” Anne smirked and Ann rolled her eyes at her wife, but their faces soon lit up as they couldn’t help but grin at each other. Anne brushed her lips briefly against Ann’s before standing up, holding her hand out for Ann’s,  
“Come on, let us decorate the tree, it’ll make you feel brighter.”  
“I am already feeling better.” Ann told her with a wide smile,  
“I’m glad you are.” Anne told her kissing her one last time, finding her wife incredibly tempting at the moment, pulling her with her, fearing that if they stayed there a second longer, she wouldn’t be able to keep from giving Ann a good smooch.   
“But after we’ve decorated this Christmas tree…”  
“Mm?” Anne quirked her eyebrow,  
“I thought we could retire early.” Ann gave her a cheeky smile and Anne laughed in wonder; Ann was such a passionate little person.  
“Get moving then!”  
It was truly beginning to look a lot like Christmas. **  
**


	6. Jingle Bells

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's already the sixth day of Christmas!!! And it is also the second of Advent... light that second candle and snuggle up!  
> Today's one shot is a 'blast from the past'... and we all love those right? - Maybe that's just me... Such Fun! (Oops, wrong fandom...) 
> 
> Prompt: Jingle Bells
> 
> Anne meets her "arch-nemesis"...

Anne was so bored she feared another second confined to the inside might actually kill her, and at ten, Anne Lister wasn’t ready to give up her breath and call it a life. There had been heavy snow falling, and the adults hadn’t wanted the children to be outside, at least no further than just outside the windows where they could still see them. Anne had sneaked out a few days ago and been ‘lost’ to them for six hours, earning herself the punishment of being grounded and forced to sit mostly in her room. Uncle James had been kind enough to sneak her some books, and her aunt Anne had snuck her some treats without her mother’s knowledge. But today she was finally free to leave her room again and she was going to head out. She knew some of the local children had planned to have a snowball fight down by Shibden road, and she wasn’t going to miss another one of those. But just as she reached for the door, a hand weighed down her shoulder and she froze in movement,  
“And where do you think you’re heading off to, young lady?” Uncle James asked amused, and Anne relaxed considerably, it was only her uncle,  
“I was going to go down the road to meet up with the others and…” Anne trailed off, uncertain if her uncle thought young ladies should participate in snowball fights.  
“Ah, the snowball fights… yes.” Uncle James smirked, “Have you asked permission?”  
“Um, I…”  
“Anne, where do you think you’re going?!” Her mother cried annoyed and Anne grimaced and looked down at her feet, just her bloody luck that her mother should see her.  
“Anne was going to join me for a walk.” Uncle James lied and Anne glanced up at him, feeling all the admiration for her kind uncle. Her mother sneered at her, but seemed to cave in,  
“That’s alright I suppose. But do keep an eye on her, we really haven’t the time nor the money to bury anyone at present.”  
Uncle James raised his eyebrows at that and shared a look with his niece before nodding,  
“Of course, Rebecca. I’ll keep an eye on her.”  
“Here, Anne you’ll wear this, or you won’t go at all.” Her mother raised a cluster of jingle bells and Anne stared at her in disbelief – she couldn’t possibly be serious. Unfortunately, her mother wasn’t joking, and Anne had to accept the cluster of bells and tie it to her wrist. Uncle James fought back laughter and Anne glared at him before they headed outside.  
  
“Can I take these off when we’re out of sight?” Anne growled as they walked down and through the gates leading up to Shibden and her Uncle shook his head,  
“Let’s not gamble, Annie – I’d much rather keep the privilege of taking you out by myself. Think of all the fun we might have, and how excessively boring the stays might become if she doesn’t let you out alone.”  
“This is humiliating…” Anne muttered raising her hand up, and the bells jingled proudly, and her uncle laughed,  
“It’s a bit unusual I grant you, but at least I won’t lose you.”  
“How very reassuring.” Anne scoffed, sulking away, kicking the snow angrily but then her uncle laughed, and she turned around on her heel furiously and threw a snowball at him – making the bells jingle louder, having her Uncle cackle more, even as the snowball hit him square in the chest.  
“It’s not funny!”  
“Oh, my dear child, I think it is!” Uncle James smirked, as he bent down to form a snowball himself and throw after his niece who countered his one snowball to her face with five of her own. Uncle James tried to make his as fast as his niece but were unsuccessful, and at last he was on his knees in the snow laughing whilst begging for mercy,  
“Anne, calm down! I give up, I surrender!”  
“Shame, I thought we were going until one of us died.”  
“If it helps, I think I sat on a bug – so someone did die.” Uncle James winked and Anne smiled wide giggling at him.  
“You are such a silly man, uncle.”  
“A silly man I might be, but then again I have a pretty fierce niece to boast of. You have no such.” Uncle James told her, and Anne blushed slightly at the praise,  
“Mm.”  
“I was talking of young Marian of course.” Uncle James added slyly, and Anne growled and threw another messy snowball in his face and he spluttered the snow out of his mouth chuckling,  
“Yes, I deserved that. Obviously, I was talking about you.”  
“Obviously.” Anne smirked, before offering her uncle her small hand and he took it and let himself be helped up though he didn’t need it.  
  
They walked down Shibden road, and heard children laughing and screaming by the end of it, Anne spotted them before her uncle, and she broke into a run – she wanted to join their fight. When she approached them, the other children looked up, startled, wondering where the horse was coming from but then noticed the bells around her wrist and they began laughing. Anne stopped and gazed at them,  
“Can I join?” Anne asked briskly and an older boy she distinctly remembered as Christopher approached her meanly,  
“Terribly sorry, but we are already four boys and another one would make it unfair on the girls, they’re only three.”

The other children watched them intently and Anne frowned at the stupid boy,  
“But I am a girl.”  
Christopher huffed and looked her up and down,  
“You don’t come across as one.”  
“Oh sorry, is this better?” Anne asked batting her eyes, adding a girly giggle, making a foolish gesture with her skirt, before glaring at the boy.  
“Whatever, we don’t let the farmer’s children join anyway.” Christopher said dryly, and the other children laughed at her.  
“Especially not girls who look like boys!” Another lad shouted, for some reason this made the other children laugh more and Anne’s cheeks grew warmer, but she stood firmly on the ground, still staring at Christopher. Thinking she might stare him down, and suddenly he cowed, looking quite terrified and Anne smiled pleased, ‘that’s right…’. But then she heard her uncle’s voice,  
“Is there a problem, young Christopher?”  
“No, sir!” Christopher muttered, clearly not about to pick a fight with her uncle,  
“Right, good. You children don’t mind me watching your snowball fight, do you?” Uncle James raised an eyebrow and they shook their heads dutifully. Everyone had been told by their parents to treat the master of Shibden with his due respect. After all theirs was the oldest Hall in Halifax, and their family thus also the oldest gentry still living there.  
“No, Mr. Lister.”  
“Good man, Zacharias.” Her uncle told the sandy-haired gangly boy, but Christopher weren’t satisfied,  
“You wouldn’t mind, Sir, asking this farmer’s boy-girl whatever, to leave us alone, would you?”  
Uncle James shared a look with Anne whose cheeks were flaming with anger and humiliation.  
“Ah, I see you’ve met my niece, Mr. Rawson. Anne why don’t you introduce yourself?” Uncle James said and Anne squared herself, stretching her hand out to Christopher Rawson.  
“I’m Anne, Anne Lister.”   
“Pleasure.” He said as he took her hand and she shook his firmly before he could do anything disgusting like kiss her hand.  
Uncle James nodded pleased and went away to sit on the stonewall next to the road, and Anne turned her eyes back to the children in-front of her.  
“You’re not on my team!” Christopher spat and Anne scoffed,  
“Excellent.”  
  
Anne managed to get her team to follow her lead, and they soon had the upper hand over Christopher Rawson’s team. This wasn’t just a childish game; it was a fight and Anne intended to win it – even if it were the last thing she did. Unfortunately, her bells around her wrist didn’t help,  
“Oi, here comes Dasher!” Christopher cried meanly and Anne rolled her eyes, sighing, this was the fifth time he had done that, and frankly it was getting old. She retreated and waited before creeping out again. Anne hid behind a wall of snow, and tried aiming for Christopher’s head, and missed, she then tried to creep nearer but alas her jingle bells gave her away.  
“Oi, here comes Dash- AHH!” Christopher began cruelly but ended up screaming bloody murder as Anne lost her temper and kicked him somewhere less appropriate, using all her muscle force. The others merely watched with their mouths slightly open as he fell down onto his knees rolling in the snow crying, clutching his… hm… family jewels. Anne looked at his pathetic form and then remembered her uncle was there and when their eyes met, he just shook his head, trying to look stern but Anne could see that he was fighting back laughter.  
“Anne! Come here!” Uncle James called for her in a seemingly angry tone and he took her by the shoulder a bit harsh, bringing her with him, reprimanding her loudly for all to hear until they were out of earshot and his angry frown turned into a smirk,  
“That was brilliant, Anne. But if your Aunt finds out – I was very disappointed and acted the part of an adult!”  
Anne began laughing,  
“He won’t be giving me hell anytime soon again!”  
“Be careful Anne, the Rawson’s are vicious people. Most of them anyway.” Uncle James warned her, and Anne scoffed. But he was right, what he didn’t know was that they were also extremely petty and resentful, as Anne would come to know in time... to be perfectly candid in about thirty-one years. ****  
  



	7. Hangover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the seventh day of Christmas, I hope all of you are doing well, despite the state the world is in at the moment. Stay safe and hopefully we might all hug and love those who are near to us once more! Xx 
> 
> Today's one-shot is really weird... I don't even know actually. It's not my favourite but you know, another woman's trash is another woman's treasure. Tbh, I could have done better probably but here we are - regretting nothing. We're not alive are we? If we're not posting meh fanfiction's once in a while... right? 
> 
> Prompt: Hangover 
> 
> Ann wakes up with hungover.

The Christmas feast had been a great success the evening before. Their neighbours and friends had happily come – after all, not many of them could remember the last time they had been invited to Shibden for festivities or anything really. Anne had been reluctant to host the thing, but Ann had persuaded her when Marian had failed to. It had certainly livened up the place, and the servants had been happy to finally whisk out the fine plates and their fine dining skills.   
They had all been a merry party and both the madeira and brandy had made an appearance. And Ann hadn’t meant to, but she had indulged herself too much. Mainly because she was too polite to say no when another neighbour offered to refill her glass. In the end she had been so dizzy and wasted that she had almost left at one point to go home, and Anne had to stop her and explain to her that she lived at Shibden with her. At which point Ann had begun crying, because she didn’t understand anything. Anne had to help her up to bed after that, and help her dress for bed, and to be honest – Anne didn’t mind too much because her wife was hilarious. But then, finally, in the early morning hours they fell asleep.  
  
Ann awoke with the headache of the century, she groaned into her soft pillow, her eyes stung from the offending light that crept through the windows and their curtains. Her head was pounding terribly, and her stomach was in an uproar. What on earth had she been drinking the night before? – Ann had never been intoxicated but she must have been for she did not remember much from the night at all, and she groaned again for the anxiety quelled within her as she wondered at what she might have done in her drunken state, what if she had embarrassed herself greatly at the feast? Ann pressed her face further into the pillow, as she let out yet another groan. Maybe she didn’t drink that much, maybe she was just over-exerted and her mind in a blur because of it, Ann decided to think it was so for she would rather not contemplate the pain of it being the other.  
The door creaked open, and Ann moaned as her head throbbed at the sound of it. Then the mattress sank as, presumably, her wife sat down beside her. A cold hand touched her hot cheeks, cooling her down – soothing her, and Ann turned her face upwards to meet the eyes of her wife.  
“How are you this morning, Ann?” Anne smiled down at her and she growled, and her wife’s grin grew wider, and she leant down, chuckling as she kissed her over the brow gently, running a hand down her arm, smirking,  
“Too much to drink?”  
Ann blushed, hiding her face in her pillow again but Anne swung her legs up on the bed and pulled Ann back to rest against her chest. Ann circled her arms around her waist, and Anne ran soothing hands over her back.  
“I wasn’t that… I didn’t drink that much last night.” Ann murmured against her breast,  
“You were flirting with me, quite openly, from a distance whilst you were talking to my sister.” Anne said amused, kissing her over her blonde curls, Ann’s eyebrow quirked,  
“So what? You’re my wife, Anne – and no one else noticed.”  
“Well, you approached me and whispered to me a question of whether I was taken or not, and when I quietly replied that I was, you blushed and sulked away in the corner for a while giving me death stares.” Anne’s chest vibrated as she laughed, and Ann couldn’t help but laugh with her though it hurt her poor head immensely.  
“It wasn’t my fault! People kept pouring my glass for me, and I didn’t even feel it coming on.” Ann argued, and Anne kissed her nose,  
“No, I wonder why they kept pouring for you? – For it’s a devil, you do not feel anything until it suddenly hits you.” Anne mused, and pressed another kiss to her wife’s hurting head.  
“Did I do anything embarrassing, pony?” Ann asked her quietly, dreading the answer, Anne absentmindedly traced down her arm with her fingertips, making Ann shiver,  
“Not too bad. You almost left yesternight though – thinking you needed to go home to Crow Nest I imagine. And then of course you… only I don’t think it’s embarrassing, you only told me.”  
“What did I say?” Ann asked, refusing to lift her head from her wife’s chest to look her in the eye, Anne chuckled,  
“I told you that your dress was lovely, and you replied me, ‘Thank you, and I bet it would look even better on the floor’”  
Ann groaned and hit her square in the chest,  
“Anne! How could you let me say such things? That’s inappropriate! And vulgar!”  
“You’re my wife, Adney, no one else heard, and believe me, I want to hear those things!” Anne told her, rubbing the sore spot her wife had struck.  
“Oh, Christ – I don’t think I’ll ever come downstairs again.” Ann whined quietly and Anne kissed her hand, and then her temple sweetly,  
“Now, it wasn’t all that bad. In fact, I think it brought Christmas cheer to the house, no one thinks ill of you downstairs... Marian was very happy to have someone to hate me with for twenty minutes last night.”  
“Oh, are you sure?” Ann dared look up at her with one eye and Anne kissed her on the lips chaste,  
“Yes. Marian will love you for always because when I exclaimed yesternight that I felt as though I was slowly losing my mind, and you told me ‘you cannot lose something you never had’.”  
“And she found that funny?”  
“Well, either that or I should be much more worried about her outcry that she could kiss you.” Anne smiled, and Ann snorted into her chest,  
“Oh, I’m so sorry! I wasn’t…”  
“In your right mind?” Anne suggested and the blonde chuckled and nodded slowly,  
“No, but I am paying for it – I feel horrible. If I move one inch or smell food – I will be sick!”  
“Mm, I can leave if you want to rest?” Anne glanced down at her, but Ann’s arms held her tighter,  
“Please stay, it’s cold outside and you are so warm and toasty.”  
“Alright – I have a few minutes to spare.”  
“It’s Christmas – you should have all the time in the world for those you love.” Ann mumbled and Anne touched her cheek fondly,  
“Of course – and just for the record – I will always have time for you.”  
“I love you, Anne!” Ann said quietly, and Anne smiled down at her,  
“Oh, I love you too!”  
“Love you more.” Ann muttered,  
“I loved you first.” Anne whispered in her ear and Ann’s lips turned up into a smile,  
“We both know that’s not true, Lister!”  
“You are insufferable!” Anne laughed,  
“That’s why you love me.”  
“I can assure you that it is not.”  
“Well, it certainly isn’t my looks… ‘You are very pretty… in a certain light.”  
“You promised me, you’d stop using that against me after last summer!” Anne argued and Ann smirked, her eyes still closed,  
“I lied, love.”  
“You vex me!”  
“’Vex’? Did I marry Anne Lister or Eliza Priestley?”  
“Ouch – of all the things you’ve ever said to me - that hurt!” Anne grimaced, being compared to that woman was not one of her better compliments.  
“Now we sleep, or I know someone who is going to get heaps of coal for Christmas.” Ann told her sternly, and Anne smiled,  
“I mean I wouldn’t mind – If it’s good coal, and heaps of it too – then I might make a fair profit.”  
“My head hurts!” Ann whined, “Shut up, you, mad coal selling woman.”  
“The pits were a great idea. I wonder if I should sink a new pit?” Anne began pondering and Ann glared up at her,  
“If you do not shut up, and let me rest my aching head then the next thing you will be sinking is your marriage!”  
Anne bit her lip, though her eyes went wide as she tried her best not to laugh at Ann but then she did happen to let slip and then felt so bad at Ann’s obvious pain that she kindly lulled her wife to sleep by rubbing her arms, and back for her. A Christmas hangover was not to be joked around with. ** _  
_**


	8. Painting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the eight day of Christmas and what better to brighten up a dull Tuesday than by reading a silly one shot? - There are probably lots of ways - like coffee... mm coffee. Right - I'm going to make some tea and coffee because I love my beverages... See you tomorrow Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Painting 
> 
> Ann and Marian have a painting competition...

For someone like Anne there was always things to do to pass one’s time. Whether it be business, studying or going around the estate – Anne Lister was never idle. It was one of the perks of being her, and it came with having the responsibility of being a Landlady. However, as Anne went about her day doing all the things needed doing – Ann and Marian were left to try and find things to fill their days with. Which normally wasn’t that hard a task, because there were always things to do around Shibden. But at the moment they were a bit snowed in. Not that they couldn’t get out and about, but the snow made it rather difficult to move about and it was below freezing temperatures throughout the day, so it wasn’t desirable.  
  
“So, I’m off to meet with Mr. Washington, will you be alright?” Anne wondered, squeezing Ann’s hand gently, touching her knee with hers. Ann beamed at her, squeezing her hand back,  
“Yes! Why wouldn’t I?”  
“Because you’re bottled up with Marian all day.” Anne said it, opening her arms in a way to suggest that it was pretty obvious why she was asking. Ann rolled her eyes and swatted her lightly over the head,  
“Watch your tongue, Anne! Or I’ll only give you coal for Christmas.”  
Anne rubbed the spot on her head merely to guilt Ann a bit for hitting her, glaring at her,  
“I’m just saying that I would understand if you felt a bit…”  
“Well I don’t.” Ann interrupted her with a smirk and Anne looked glum,  
“Oh. Maybe you prefer her company to mine.”  
Ann laughed at her folly, and grabbed her by the chin, pulling her down for a kiss, Anne didn’t refuse her, but she still looked the part of a sulky child.  
“I don’t, Anne. But you’re out and about so I have to make do, don’t I?” Ann said amused by her wife’s sometimes jealous disposition.  
“Mm.” Anne mumbled, and Ann kissed her hard again, lingering for a moment longer.  
“Don’t look so glum, Pony… it doesn’t suit you! And you needn’t be jealous – least of all of your sister!” Ann smirked and Anne pouted slightly and was granted another peck on her lips, before Ann pulled away, stroking her cheek affectionately,  
“Now go or you’ll be late!”   
“I can walk anywhere in twenty-five minutes.” Anne told her with a brash smile and Ann grinned, running her fingers down her chin, over her neck, settling them on her shoulder.  
“I’m sure you can! But you always seem to lose that ability as soon as night comes, because you’re always late for dinner.”  
“I’m not.” Anne persisted, laying her own hand over Ann’s,  
“I tell you what, if you’re on time tonight I might do that thing you like.” Ann batted her eyes innocently and Anne chuckled with a bit of nervous excitement,  
“Really?”  
“Mm, but if you are a second late then you will finally get to sleep in-front of the fire with Argus.” Ann crossed her arms, looking rather pleased with herself and Anne’s eyes widened,  
“I’ll be home on time, don’t worry!”  
Ann stopped Anne who tried to hurry out, by pulling her back for one last kiss,  
“I’ll miss you.”  
“Oh, trust me when I say I’ll miss you more!” Anne threw her a killer smile, kissing her briefly again but then Marian came inside the room and they sprung apart. Marian rolled her eyes, but didn’t comment on it, she didn’t know what the fuss was. She knew and they knew she did – more or less anyways.  
“What are you going to do?” Anne asked looking between her wife and sister, and Marian held up her sketchpad,  
“We’re going to have a bit of a drawing competition.”  
“Oh, good luck with that.” Anne mocked, throwing Ann an amused look, making Marian annoyed with her, as she was well aware from the sounds of her sister dropping her things on the sofa.  
“What do you mean? I could win!”  
“I’m off!” Anne gave her a sardonic smile before hurrying outside leaving Marian no time to complain anymore about Anne’s sayings or opinions.  
  
When the dark did fall, as it did quite early in December, Anne was on her way home. She reckoned she hadn’t been this early in years. But she daren’t take Ann up on what she had said. She had no doubts that the blonde would kick her out of bed if she was late when she had promised not to be. Anne’s heart was beating hard, as she had almost run half of the way, not leaving anything to chance - it paid off, and she rushed into the sitting room wearing a satisfied smile,  
“I’m on time!”  
Marian didn’t even look up, she merely raised an eyebrow,  
“Congratulations.”  
Ann however, patted the empty space beside her with a huge smile playing her lips, and Anne happily sat down.  
“You’re a bit warm.” Ann murmured quietly, amused and Anne smirked back at her,  
“Well, I needed to be on time.”  
“Did you run through all that snow?” Ann looked well on the way to laughter, imagining in her head Anne skipping through the fields leading to Shibden in fear of not getting to share a bed with her wife that night. It was rather adorable and to think that Anne wanted home to her – now that warmed her heart.  
“I did.” Anne grinned wide, and Ann wanted to grab her face and smother it with kisses but resisted the urge thinking Marian might not appreciate it.  
“Now how did it go?” Anne asked she was almost jumping in her seat, seeming to be bursting with energy at the moment.  
“What?”  
“The painting.” Anne nodded towards their abandoned sketchpads lying on the side-table, both Marian and Ann followed her movement and Marian’s face fell and she huffed, turning slightly away from Anne.  
“Can I see them?”  
Ann twisted a bit in her seat, eying Marian worriedly but eventually nodded, picking up her own sketchpad to show Anne her drawing. Anne sat herself better, letting her arm rest behind Ann on the sofa, sitting far too close for propriety. Ann opened it up to show her the watercolour painting she’d made, and Anne gasped, tracing the outlines of the drawing with her fingers, enthralled, and a bit stunned blurted out,  
“That’s a terrifyingly accurate drawing of us.”  
“I know! – It’s almost like I’m good at what I do!” Ann cried mock-shocked,  
“You know I think you’re excellent.” Anne pressed eying her seriously, and Ann’s eyes fluttered upwards as she sighed,  
“Yes… I was just mocking your patronising tone.”  
“I wasn’t being patronising.” Anne shrugged back offended, and Ann shook her head at her, leaning forwards almost as if to place a silencing kiss on her lips but remembering herself and leaning back in her seat once more. Anne’s eyes displayed all the disappointment and sadness at that, but such were life – they couldn’t be so affectionate with each other in company.  
“Ready to prove me wrong, Marian?” Anne mocked her sister and Marian’s expression became darker and she seemed even more tense than before. When she didn’t answer her, Anne took matters in her own hands, leaning forwards to take the sketchpad from the table before Marian had time to snatch it back herself. Anne opened the pad to the drawing and her mouth twitched upwards and Marian groaned,  
“Oh shut up you!”  
“I hate to tell you that I told you so but-“  
“Oh you be damned, Anne! It’s your favourite phrase.” Marian barked and Anne lifted her hand up, shrugging her shoulder,  
“What can I say? You do a lot of things despite me warning you off.”  
“Oh, you are so… you are- Oh God damn you Anne! You always ruin everything.” Marian rose from her seat, snatching the sketchpad from Anne’s hands managing to cut Anne’s ring finger with the sharp paper before storming out of the room like a whirlwind. Anne stared after her before turning to Ann,  
“What was it I said?”  
“Sometimes Anne, a bit of praise and appreciation goes a long way.” Ann tried carefully and Anne frowned,  
“Why, yes!? But it wasn’t worth any.”  
“She did her best, and practice makes perfect. You shouldn’t have laughed at her drawing, Anne!” Ann told her sternly and Anne exhaled loudly,  
“I’ll apologise to her… later. Because now we’re alone, might we not head upstairs?”  
Ann frowned, looking about the room, leaning forwards to whisper,  
“We haven’t had dinner yet?”  
“Oh, come on, you had lunch – surely you’ll be all right?” Anne seemed intent to get her way and put her hand on Ann’s knee, stroking it with her fingers, **  
** “You know, sometimes I understand why some people find you slightly apathetic…” Ann mused, and Anne bit her lip, looking pleadingly at her,  
“But you’ll come?”  
“Obviously.” Ann muttered rolling her eyes at the woman beside her, “If only because it’s Christmas and thus the time of giving.”


	9. Snowman

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day nine of Christmas and hopefully the feeling and spirit of Christmas is really setting in... even though we're in the midst of a pandemic. I saw an old lady cry the other day because she was given a pat on the shoulder... It was heart-wrenching, and I can't wait to be near people again and give everyone I love a hug. Till then I'll just sit in my flat writing fanfiction until my fingers can't type anymore. Stay safe! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Snowman 
> 
> Ann and Marian builds a snowman...

It was as if Christmas brought out the child in everyone, even Aunt Anne seemed unusually childish as Christmas day grew nearer in the calendar. There had been heaps of snow falling, and as nice as it was looking out at this winter wonderland – it was hard to get around. Even with the roads being ploughed as well as might be.  
  
Anne huffed annoyed when she glanced at her pocket-watch, she was slower than usual, and she blamed the blasted snow for it. It was trying to sink her, and she wouldn’t have it. Anne picked up her tempo even further, skipping through the deep snow – looking, if anyone saw her, quite ridiculous. It was because of this that she arrived back home, red, warm and completely drenched in sweat. But, she smiled, she had made it in good time. She would be pleased to report to her journal just that later. Her eyebrows raised though as she gazed across the rooms, they all seemed empty. Anne checked the dining room, the sitting rooms but could find no trace of her sister nor Ann, she did however find her aunt and father in-front of the fire and she greeted them warmly,  
“Aunt.” Anne kissed her cheek, and her aunt touched her arm,  
“Are you already back?”  
“Yes.” Anne smiled pleased, “I made it back in less than twenty-five minutes.”  
“Oh, did you really? Now, that’s why, I assume, you are so rosy cheeked.” Aunt Anne reached up to touch her cold cheeks, and Anne nodded,  
“Indeed. Now where is madam and Ann?”  
“They went outside I believe, an hour or so ago. But do sit down by the fire for a few minutes, Anne.”  
Anne took her aunts hand affectionately,  
“I fear I am much too warm for that at present, I will go out and have a look – it would be wretched if Marian had gotten them both lost, or, you know, bored Ann to death.”  
“Be kind to your sister.”  
“I am? She’s still living here, isn’t she?” Anne winked, and her aunt shook her head at her, and Anne left the room to go outside and see if she could find them. Most of all she wanted to find Ann – see so she was alright. Anne stopped right outside the door, rubbing her chin with her hand, trying to discern where they might have gone but then she heard laughter – and she was certain it was her sister and her wife. It must be. Anne followed the sounds around the back of the house and down the lane and she saw them, or rather the back of the two.  
“What on earth are you doing?” Anne called as she came closer and both women turned around and looked at her before looking at each other – bursting out in new merry laughter. Anne quirked an eyebrow,  
“Do I have something on my face?”  
“No!” Ann cried out, tears appearing at the corner of her eyes as she tried hard to stop laughing to speak, but she wasn’t that successful. Marian wheezed laughing, trying to form words but every time she managed a syllable, she would break down again.  
“What is so hilarious?” Anne asked, beginning to be a little annoyed with them, or rather more uncomfortable as she had this nagging feeling they were laughing at her – and she didn’t know why. Ann steadied herself on Marian’s arm,  
“We made… eh, we made… oh Christ…”  
“What did you make, Ann?” Anne pressed, whilst the women in front of her were almost hyperventilating because they were laughing too much. Ann exhaled shakily, trying to compose herself,  
“We made a Snowanne.”  
“Sorry?” Anne frowned, leaning towards them, “Do you mean a snowman?”  
“No, she definitely means a Snowanne…” Marian said, her voice breaking with small heaps of laughter, and Ann began laughing again, her cheeks burning bright red,  
“What are you talking about!?” Anne sighed, and the women moved to the side and behind them a Snowman appeared. Anne blinked twice, staring at the snowman. It was wearing her hat, one of her cravats and her cane – which she had been looking for, stood next to it. They had put conkers for eyes and even made a poor attempt at forming hair with the snow. Marian and Ann stood, trying to contain their laughter, eying her carefully, Anne frowned and then looked at them both,  
“What the hell?” Anne asked before she couldn’t help herself, she burst out in gay laughter.  
“You are insane!”  
“Proudly so.” Ann pointed out, and Marian nodded, Anne shook her head at them,  
“Why!?”  
Ann and Marian shared a look between themselves before turning their eyes towards her,  
“Because, sometimes you are… um, a pain and with this Anne we can do this.” Ann said and then without breaking eye-contact with Anne, she punched the head off the snowman.  
“You want to behead me?”  
“Um…” Ann blushed, but Marian crossed her arms,  
“No, we want to pound some sense into you at times– but we are good and respectable ladies – thus the snowanne.”   
“Do you like it?” Ann smiled, and Anne looked at her, both eyebrows raised,  
“Well, I liked it better with the head on!”  
“Oh, sorry!” Ann picked up the head and put it back on – backwards and Anne couldn’t help a chuckle, neither could they,  
“Oh look – I guess you were right, she really does have eyes in the back of her head.” Marian commented and Anne threw a snowball in her face.  
“Ouch!”  
“Sorry, but I don’t have a snow-you to pound.”  
“Are you going to pound me too?” Ann asked smirking, as Anne was forming another snowball in her hands, but she stopped, and glanced at the blonde,  
“Oh, I will pound you…” Anne threw the snowball hard, at an unsuspecting Marian again, “later.”  
  
With little persuasion on Ann’s part, she managed to get both Marian and Anne to agree to a walk before heading inside. Ann’s fingers were itching but she hadn’t dared suggest it, she merely walked with them in the gardens before casually, without drawing attention to herself, forming a snowball in her hands. She contemplated whether she would dare throw it at first but then she aimed and threw it, getting Anne in the neck. The woman spun around on her heel to see who it was, and her eyes landed on Marian, her eyes narrowing as she glared at her.  
“Marian! For goodness sake, you are such a child sometimes!” Anne barked, and Marian looked affronted, opening her arms as if to show that she had nothing to do with it.  
“Me? I haven’t –“ Marian wasn’t allowed to finish because Anne had thrown a snowball at her, and Marian gasped before kneeling down to make a snowball of her own, in the meantime Ann had made several and threw another at her wife, who looked confused at first because she had just thrown one at Marian,   
“ANN! It was you!?” Anne cried, and Ann laughed before throwing another one right in the face of her infuriated wife. Who then set off after her, whilst Ann tried getting more hits on her at the same time as she was fleeing for her life; Marian made snowballs in the meantime, and then with one look from Ann, they had teamed up – so Marian slowed Anne down by throwing snowballs at her, giving Ann time to make new ones to throw at her as well. But Anne wasn’t undeterrable, soon enough her hands found her wife’s sides, and she tackled her onto the ground – thankfully the snow was softening the fall. Ann screamed of laughter and Marian aimed more snowballs at Anne, but Anne was unmovable. She pinned Ann to the ground, panting heavily in her face,  
“Do you surrender?”  
“No.” Ann laughed, and Anne pushed a little harder on her arms,  
“One last chance to surrender before your suffering starts!”  
“No!”  
“That’s it.” Anne dropped a heap of snow on her wife’s face, and as she spluttered the snow that had got into her mouth Anne thought she looked magical. Her cheeks were rosy, and her eyes sparkling with joy – Anne was, she was certain the luckiest woman alive. But in these thoughts, she had absentmindedly let go of her wife’s arms and found herself suddenly pinned down in the snow, staring up at her wife’s normally angelic features which had been replaced with a devilish smirk just before she greeted Anne’s face with a bunch of snow. They kept on fighting for a little while longer, wrestling, until they were both out of breath, panting loudly.  
“I surrender!” Anne plead at last, when she realised her wife wouldn’t give up – and she could see that she was soaked to the bone and she didn’t want her wife to catch her death because she was stubborn. Soaking wet, they, all three of them tumbled inside the hall again. Ann and Anne went up to their wing and as soon as the door closed behind Anne, Ann pushed her up the door, kissing her hungrily on the lips – surprising the brunette, but she soon sank into the hot kisses, that some of them trailed down her throat having her gasp in short breaths, and Ann smirked mischievous at her,  
“Happy Christmas, Anne!”


	10. Reindeer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the tenth day of Christmas and also the Nobel prize day... maybe just maybe Ann should've been given one for the creation she'd made in today's one shot, hm...? 
> 
> Prompt: Reindeer 
> 
> Ann might have done a bad thing...

It seemed all of Halifax were getting into the Christmas spirit as it grew nearer, all except Anne who wasn’t one to get festive, she had lived through far too many disappointments around Christmas for that. Every single person she had met with all day had talked about it or wished her a happy Christmas. Anne thought Christmas important in the terms of theology but other than that; The festiveness, and decorations, that was all too much for her. It reminded her too much of her uncle which hurt her, and it reminded her too much of the sorrows of heart that were closely linked with the holiday. It was in all a difficult time for her. But Ann adored Christmas. She had woken up every morning to look out the window to see if any snow had fallen, and Anne had to admit – it was pretty endearing, and she was happy that her wife was glowing with excitement and merriment. She wouldn’t take that away from her, but if anyone tried to bring in one twig of holly, she would have to put her foot down.

Anne pulled her collar up and proceeded to walk faster, it was cold and dark outside, and she wanted to get home in time for dinner. When she did come through the gates of Shibden she sighed happily at the light coming from the house, knowing that her family was inside – well her wife.  
“Anne – you’re back!” Aunt Anne cried gleefully, and Anne kissed her cheek,  
“Yes, yes – terribly busy day, lots of meetings, but I’m here now, and on time.”  
“Sometime had to be the first.” Marian muttered and Anne’s head turned thither as she gave her sister a pointed look, but then she turned around completely, eying Ann’s empty chair with worried eyes,  
“Where’s Ann? Is she unwell?!”  
“She’s outside in the stables I think.” Marian told her sister with a shrug of the shoulder,  
“You think? You mean you don’t care to keep an eye on her?”  
“Keep an eye on her? Ann is an adult; in fact, she is probably more so than you most of the time.”  
“But she’s… she might get lost or get abducted or… you said she was out in the stables?” Anne rambled and Marian rolled her eyes, nodding,  
“Yes.”  
“I’ll go get her then, tell her dinner is ready.” Anne told the room before turning on her heel to go find her wife.  
  
“Ann!?” Anne called into the stables that were dimly lit, and Ann popped her head out of Jack’s stall,  
“Yes?”  
“Dinner’s ready.” Anne smiled,  
“Oh, I got a bit caught up…” Ann flustered, and Anne laughed as she raised an eyebrow,  
“What? Why are you all red in the face?”  
“Um, I prepared something for Jack to wear on Christmas morning when we go to church…” Ann bit her lip not to laugh as she spoke and Anne was even more intrigued,  
“What have you done now?”  
“Promise me, you won’t be cross!” Ann told her, and Anne began to walk over to have a look. Ann was completely red in the face and trying so hard not to laugh. Anne eyed her suspiciously but then her eyes found the chestnut horse and her mouth fell open and Ann burst out laughing, trying to muffle it with her hand, but the look on Anne’s face was priceless.  
“Do you like it?” Ann managed to pant out through her laughter, and Anne’s eyes went from the horse to her wife, mouth still open,  
“Ann, no!”  
“Yes!”  
“No way in… we are not taking Jack to church!” Anne said quietly closing her eyes trying to reel her emotions in and argue softly.  
“We are! We promised Marian we’d take the sleigh – if there’s any snow, and Jack can pull it.” Ann touched Anne’s arm, and she frowned at her,  
“Ann! I’m not going to be… He has antlers on!”  
“I made those, thank you very much!” Ann slapped her over the chest and Anne still looked at the horse, in disbelief, this was not happening,  
“He looks like a very disappointing reindeer, or a mix-breed that went terribly wrong.”  
“I think he looks handsome, and he thinks so too, don’t you boy?” Ann gave Jack a pat on the nose and Jack snorted against her, seemingly content. Anne just shook her head,  
“Ann! People will talk… I mean we are already odd enough in people’s eyes. This is just adding fuel to the fire.”  
“People will think it’s sweet and comical, and a lovely Christmas addition.” Ann argued but could still just barely keep her chuckles at bay.  
“Is there anything I can do to persuade you to not use the antlers? To not dress Jack up as a reindeer for Christmas?” Anne pleaded and Ann smirked at her, scratching Jack under his chin,  
“Well, there is one thing that would make me change my mind…”  
“Tell me, anything, I’ll do anything!”  
“Wear the antlers during dinner.” Ann snorted and Anne groaned,  
“Seriously!?”  
“It’s the only thing that will persuade me for I was determined to have him wear them.” Ann crossed her arms, eying Anne amused,  
“There must be something else I can do!?”  
“Hm, No, I think this is all I want.” Ann pulled the antlers off from Jack’s head and held them out to Anne who didn’t take them immediately, and Ann smiled innocently,  
“I guess we will have ourselves a reindeer at Christmas…”  
“Oh fine then!” Anne snatched the antlers and eyed them with contempt,  
“You put them on your head like this.” Ann took them from her and placed them on her head, and then backed a step to look at her, only to laugh more.  
“Very funny… ha, ha. Let’s go inside now so dinner can be over – quickly!”  
  
They sat down to dinner and all the while Marian, aunt Anne and Ann kept choking on their food from trying to not laugh out loud at Anne’s antlers. Anne stared into her plate with a glum look, eating as fast as she possibly could to end her humiliation, swallowing bits whole. When she did finish, she stood up quickly, leaving for her room, to get rid of the ridiculous antlers but Ann tagged along.  
When they were alone, Ann stepped nearer, holding her at the arms. Anne stared at her wearing a frown and Ann smiled,  
“You don’t have to look like it’s going to rain…dear.”  
“I hate you.” Anne growled and then tried to wring her wrists free to remove the antlers, but Ann held her as best she could and then kissed her, making Anne forget about fighting to get the antlers off for a few seconds,  
“Don’t. think. You. Can make me. Forget. About the. Stupid antlers.” Anne told her in-between kisses, and Ann let go of her lips for a second, touching her cheek,  
“I’m not, but if the antlers go – everything else has to go.”  
“That’s completely fine with me!” Anne smirked, and Ann threw the thing off before she began working on untying Anne’s cravat, and turning her humiliation of needing to wear the antlers for dinner into something quite pleasant.


	11. Mistletoe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the eleventh day of Christmas and what better way to spend a Friday night than sitting at home in ones sweatpants, drinking tea, eating chocolate and reading fanfictions? - Fun fact... or maybe it's a depressing fact - this is how I have spent my Friday nights for the past ten years... it's not a Corona thing.. Anyway, hope you all have a lovely weekend and stay safe! Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Mistletoe  
> Anne might have gone overboard with the Mistletoe.

The world seemed to have changed overnight, suddenly the last leaves had blown off the trees, the wind had turned unforgiving and the sunlight was scarce and the landscape surrounding Shibden Hall had turned white. The snow had fallen thick and the trees weighed down heavy from the snow – creating the image of a winter wonderland. If you might frame the place it looked quite the painting and made for quite the view. It was a special Christmas; it was after all the first Christmas Anne and Ann had spent together as wives. Normally Christmas didn’t excite Anne, she had lived through far too many disappointments around the holiday and was not one to get festive. She was quite the opposite. Hardly celebrating at all the last few years, save sending a few gifts to her family and going to the Christmas service. She was not one for decorating the halls with boughs of holly, or any other such decorations one might like. But her young wife adored Christmas – had spoken of little else the last couple of weeks and was so excited to finally have someone to celebrate it with again since her sister’s move to Scotland. Anne’s heart melted a little every morning when Ann would jump out of bed, with an energy not usually held by the blonde at such an early hour, and rush to the window to see if the snow had finally come. One morning she had got tangled in the bed sheets and fallen out of bed quite literally, bruising both her knees but then insistently crawled to the window refusing Anne’s help. The disappointed look on Ann’s face each morning was quite adorable, Anne thought. Ann would frown sadly, and sulk back to bed, crawl under the covers and then snuggle into Anne’s warm form. For even if the snow hadn’t fallen, it was seemingly colder, and they were tucked under thick covers every night. And Anne wouldn’t complain, just hold her wife for a few minutes, kissing her softly, warming her up against her before reluctantly rising from bed to begin the day – something which had always been easy for her but when one was leaving such a beautiful, lovely creature there, it seemed much harder.

  
This particular morning Anne woke up before her wife, smiling down at her, her face was pressed to Anne’s side, breathing calmly – she was peacefully asleep. It was with some excitement though Anne herself awoke, because she had prepared a surprise for, well for Ann, but she supposed it would surprise her father, Marian and Aunt Anne too. She had with a little help from Mrs. Cordingley, Hemingway and Booth decorated the whole hall with boughs of holly, sticks of spruce, and other greeneries to lift the Christmas spirit. Candles were placed on various appropriate places, and Anne had tied ribbons here and there; red, green and gold ribbons. She was very pleased with their effort. Hemingway and Cordingley had also prepared some Christmas goodies. Shibden hadn’t looked so festive in years, and Anne was actually getting into the spirit of Christmas – a feeling she thought would never strike her again. All of the preparations had been done secretly in the night. How Anne managed to get away from her wife for that time was a wonder to herself. The last decoration she had put up with the help of Booth was the mistletoe – normally only hung in the doorway to the sitting room, but Anne might have gone overboard with it – hanging one in every doorway downstairs. She wanted as many kisses as possible from her wife without rising suspicion, all though she suspected they already knew why suddenly the mistress of Shibden wanted a billion mistletoes in the house. Anne had barely slept a wink after that, too excited to see Ann’s reaction in the morning – the morning before Christmas Eve.  
  
Impatient fingers touched the cold back of her pocket-watch and flicked it open – she was only barely half past seven, but Anne decided, there was no time like the present.  
Gentle fingers ran over her wife’s arm, her skin prickling immediately at the touch, and the woman turned a little in her arms, murmuring to herself,  
“Ann – Adney, wake up.” Anne mumbled her lips touching her head, Ann growled against her, and Anne smiled at her,  
“Ann.”  
“I’m asleep.” She whined hoarsely into the brunette’s side, and Anne ran her hands over her side, and Ann shivered,  
“I think you will want to see this.”  
“Mm?”  
“It’s been snowing tonight.” Anne whispered in the blonde’s ear and her blue eyes shot open immediately and she tried to pull herself free from Anne to run and have a look, but the brunette held her tightly to her.  
“Let me go! I want to see the snow.” Ann pouted, and Anne kissed her sweetly,  
“Yes, and you will, once you have given me a proper ‘good morning’.”  
Anne rolled on top of the blonde, keeping her hands pinned down over her head, grinning mad with joy and love, but Ann was focused on wanting to see the snow, so she kept wringing underneath her to escape. Anne kissed her hard, but Ann growled against her lips, having Anne laugh at her,  
“I’m sorry did you want anything Mrs Walker?”  
“Let me go!” She whined, and Anne quirked an eyebrow at her, twisting a little on top of her, before kissing her deliciously again, keeping her lips resting on hers, chewing at her bottom lip gently, teasing the blonde,  
“What was it that you wanted, Mrs Walker?” Anne asked again, hoping that Ann would give in to her – make the most of the quiet morning. But Ann bit her lip, maybe a little harder than intended for Anne gasped in pain, at the same time Ann had put her foot up, pushing Anne off her with force, a little too much for Anne ended up on the floor and Ann ran up to the window – not to her wife mind you, who lay on the floor with a bruised lip.  
“It’s snowing! Anne! It must be up to my knees out there!” Ann cried with some excitement, but Anne merely huffed on the floor annoyed.  
Having seen the snow, and the wonderful winter wonderland that lay before them Ann seemed to realise that she had kicked her wife out of bed and onto the floor and bit her lip blue. Some anxiety seemed to quell her, and she ran to her side, kneeling beside her,  
“Oh, Anne! I’m sorry – I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean too!” Ann touched her face, kissing her gently, minding her bruised lip and Anne couldn’t remain angry with her – for she had this whole surprise planned and she was being selfish trying to keep her in bed when she knew she had longed for snow since November.  
“It’s alright. I’m fine. I always am.” Anne mumbled sitting up, kissing her quickly to reassure her before standing up, lending a hand to Ann who took it.  
“Put on your robe – I have a surprise for you!” Anne grinned wickedly and Ann raised her eyebrows intrigued,  
“Really!? It’s not a dead thing or a… I don’t know, something disgusting. Hm?”  
“Why would you always guess that? When have I ever deliberately showed you that?” Anne stopped herself, and turned to Ann raising a hand,  
“Wait, no don’t answer that.”  
“What is it? You shouldn’t have!”  
“Oh, I think I should. It’s nothing less than what you deserve.” Anne said excitedly, as she was quickly getting dressed for downstairs. Her hair was left in the braid, she had no time sitting down getting her hair done, not before Ann had seen the house. With childlike excitement Anne pulled her wife with her out the door, and to the end of the landing,  
“Would you please just stare at the floor whilst walking down so you don’t spoil your surprise?” Anne asked her and Ann eyed her for a second before nodding, biting her lip, uncertain if she should expect the worst.  
When they reached the downstairs Anne clasped her hand in hers,  
“Now, look up!”  
Ann raised her eyes and gasped at the sight of the decorated room, eyes going round,  
“You did all of this last night?”  
“Yes.” Anne nodded, proud that she was the reason for the grin that went from ear to ear on Ann’s features.  
“It’s beautiful Anne! Really, stunning! Thank you! I know you haven’t been particularly keen on Christmas but -” Ann walked around the rooms, looking at all the decorations with care, so pleased, and it warmed Anne’s heart,  
“Yes, it’s all very lovely but I have one more thing to show you, come- “ Anne took Ann’s hand in hers, pulling her towards the door to the dining room, stopping underneath the doorframe, confusing Ann,  
“What’s the matter, Pony?”  
“Well, we cannot move until we’ve kissed.” Anne said, with a very cheeky smile, Ann raised an eyebrow before leaning forwards, whispering,  
“Anne, we’re downstairs and people could come down any second.”  
“Ah, yes, but you see – there is a mistletoe above us and so tradition bids we must kiss.”  
Ann frowned and looked up and there was indeed a mistletoe hung above them and she rolled her eyes, laughing merrily, looking around the room at all the other openings that too had mistletoes hung above them,  
“Have you decorated the whole house with mistletoe? – To force me to kiss you?”  
“Well, I wasn’t born this clever for nothing.” Anne winked at her, and Ann stared at her suspiciously, not sure if she should give in or not.  
“You know, I am rather hungry and would like to eat…” Anne said, her eyes dropping to Ann’s pink mouth, and the blonde shook her head and giggled before standing on her tiptoes to kiss her wife obligingly on the mouth.  
“What are you two doing?!” Marian asked, coming down the stairs, and both Anne and Ann looked at her laughing, and Anne pointed above her,  
“Mistletoe. I can stay put if you want one too.”  
“Eh, no – I think I’ll manage without your kiss, but thank you.”  
“I’d recommend you Miss Lister. Don’t fret. Maybe Dr Kenny will come around and like a kiss or Christopher.” Ann teased and Anne rolled her eyes,  
“Ha ha, you are hilarious, but I would rather kiss Argus on the mouth with tongue than any of those men.”  
“What on earth has poor Argus done to deserve that?” Marian wondered dryly and Anne was tempted to throw her watch at her just to have something to throw.  
  
They had a lovely breakfast and Ann and Anne just happened to get stuck under the mistletoe fourteen times meanwhile – Marian just rolled her eyes and Captain Lister pretended not to see, whilst Aunt Anne thought it was very sweet even if she didn’t acknowledge it. Most of all they were just happy to see the halls decorated once more for the season.


	12. Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the twelfth day of Christmas and it's officially the last day I could possibly make a reference to the song, but I won't because there will be no drummer's drumming in this one shot... Enjoy! 
> 
> Prompt: Dancing 
> 
> Anne is forced to attend a Christmas dance at the town assembly.

It was the yearly Christmas dance at the assembly hall down in Halifax and Anne was forced to attend. Truth was that her aunt had been so excited, and Anne hadn’t the heart to tell the woman she had no want to go or to dance. Besides, it was one of the few diversions one could have in Halifax at this time of the year except for studying. Anne had put her foot down though when her aunt had tried to persuade her to wear a ball gown. Aunt Anne had immediately faltered and apologised, telling Anne that she might wear whatever she felt most comfortable wearing – so long as she didn’t come underdressed.   
  
Anne was standing by the refreshments table, avoiding dancing as far as was possible, she didn’t really like the concept of it, she did think it was good exercise, but she didn’t like the fact that a man must lead her in the dance. She’d rather dance with one of the girls but couldn’t, she wasn’t allowed.   
Anne gazed at the dance floor and sighed quietly, mourning the fact that she might never be able to soar across the dance floor in a ballroom with the one she loved between her arms. Life really wasn’t fair, Anne thought bitterly.   
  
Anne was startled from her daydreaming by Christopher Rawson coming over to disturb her peace,  
“Would you like to dance, miss Lister?” He asked roughly and Anne didn’t even grace him with a look,   
“No thank you.”   
“If you don’t say yes, it’ll look poor if you dance with another gentleman later.” Christopher commented and Anne blew air out of her nose, annoyed,  
“Leave me alone, Christopher.”   
They had danced together before, not that she really enjoyed it much, and she suspected he might have singled her out as a possible candidate to be his wife, and she didn’t want to encourage him. It would be awkward for both parties if he ended up asking for her hand.   
Christopher touched her by the arm, and Anne snatched it back from him, glaring at him, hissing,  
“Touch me again and you’ll regret the day you were born, Rawson!”  
“Ah come on, it’s just for a laugh, we had a bet – indulge me, Anne! I need to win!” Christopher pressed, reaching out to touch her arm again and Anne gave him half-a-look,   
“Are you always such an idiot, or do you just show off when I’m around?”   
“One dance, Lister, I won’t enjoy it. Hell, dancing with you almost makes me a fucking shirt lifter.” Christopher cried annoyed, not used to being denied what he wanted.   
Anne was quiet at that and he raised an eyebrow at her, tapping his foot to show he was waiting for a reply.   
“Oh, I’m sorry I was astounded for a moment by your charm and flattery.” Anne said sarcastically giving him a sharp look,  
“Will you or will you not?”  
“I told you already – leave me alone!” Anne growled and Christopher’s mouth turned downwards, as he looked at her bitterly, and then he exclaimed loudly, in front of all their friends and neighbours, to humiliate her;   
“Why, Anne, I don’t fancy you like that, so stop begging for a dance!”   
All eyes turned thither, and instead of doing something rash, and stupid, Anne merely raised an eyebrow, and dryly replied,  
“Oh please, Christopher, I have standards!”   
Laughter broke out but it was a dance after all, and it was soon forgotten, and people returned to their own dancing and conversations. Christopher, however, became red around the ears, and he walked past Anne bumping into her shoulder, muttering,  
“ _You_ _queer bitch_.”   
Anne clenched her fist but calmed herself, counting slowly to five – causing a scene would only hurt her reputation but by God did she wish she could have punched his jaw out of joint for his comments. Aunt Anne came over worriedly, having witnessed the whole thing from a bit of distance,   
“Are you alright, dear?”   
“I hate these dances.” Anne muttered and her Aunt frowned, and instead of giving her a speech of how it was beyond her how a lady of barely twenty couldn’t enjoy a dance she took her hand sympathetically, eying her troubled,   
“Do you want to leave? We can leave. I don’t want to be here if that’s the way they talk to you.”   
Her aunt was referring to Christopher Rawson’s slurs, and she was possibly also saddened by the whispers that surrounded Anne wherever she went in the room.   
“Don’t mind them, aunt. They are all pants and no trousers” Anne gave her aunt a comforting smile, but the woman’s frown wouldn’t disappear and wore deeper in her lines,   
“Yes, and yet I worry you will somehow end up getting walked all over anyway.”   
“Me? Getting walked over? – I don’t think so.” Anne threw her aunt a brave smile.   
“Sometimes when we ignore something, or rise above it, if you like, we tend to allow people to say whatever they like to us, in regardless of our own feelings.”   
“Don’t worry about it, Aunt. It’s fine, I’m fine. I don’t… They can talk all they want. It doesn’t bother me.” Anne lied and her aunt didn’t seem convinced by it but let it be for now, sensing that her niece rather not have the discussion in a ballroom full of people.  
“Come on, my dearest child– we cannot leave until you’ve danced at least once.” Aunt Anne took her hand and pulled her with her, and Anne tried to stop her,  
“Aunt! I don’t want to dance. I… I don’t want to dance with…”   
“I’m not forcing you to dance with any of the gentlemen here – I’m going to dance with you. That way we both win, I can dance a dance even if I shouldn’t with my arthritis, and you can dance without needing to put up with dolts like Christopher Rawson.”   
“Have I told you lately that I love you, Aunt?” Anne laughed and her aunt smiled gaily at her niece as they approached the dance floor and joined the couples. They had the time of their lives, and her aunt never minded the stares and whispers. It was just a lovely last outing with her niece before she was leaving them all in the new year to travel, and a Christmas memory to remember and cherish for always. 


	13. Naughty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the thirteenth day of Christmas and also the third of Advent which also means it's the day of Saint Lucia... aka a reason to wear a nightgown the whole day through!!! (But it also entails waking up at 4 to sing... hm.)  
> Prompt: Naughty
> 
> Anne decides to confront the enemy...

It was a cold winter’s morning, and the neighbourhood was scarce awake yet, but Anne Lister could already be spotted walking across the fields with long strides, her coat flapping about her skirt. The ground was frozen solid, and the sun was beginning to rise making the hoarfrost sparkle creating a magical image of a winter wonderland. However, Anne Lister was in a hurry and had no time admiring the beautiful landscape that stretched before her eyes. She had business to attend to. She couldn’t help a smirk, today all might finally be revealed and hopefully it was all in her favour.  
  
Anne arrived at the pits and greeted the men above ground with a firm and authoritative ‘Good morning’ and they answered her with her due respect. She approached Mr Washington who had agreed to meet her at the early morning hour.  
“Miss Lister, Good morning.” Mr Washington greeted her cheerful as always.  
“Mr. Washington.” Anne acknowledged him and stood him aside from the rest of the men. She was impatient to know and so wasted no time with formalities.  
“Did they find proof? That the Rawson’s have been stealing my coal?”  
“Yes, ma’am. They are still at it. Your men can’t order them to stop loosening the coal.” Mr Washington told her, and she hummed in reply, her eyebrows furrowing as she thought.  
“I shall get down there myself then. They are on my land. Besides it’s easier to testify if I have seen the trespass myself.”  
“Are you sure that’s wise? The pits are…” Mr. Washington silenced when he saw her thunderous expression, knowing that there was no point in trying to deter Miss Lister when she had made up her mind, and he’d rather not fall out of her good graces.  
“I’m going down there now, and um, then I’ll expose them to the magistrate possibly.”  
“Possibly?” Mr Washington repeated dumbfounded, hadn’t the whole point been to do just that? Or why else had they sunk the pit just there. Anne glanced at him briefly, giving a nod,  
“Yes, Mr Washington. Pressing charges is an odious thing to go through, one I might enjoy avoiding. If they pay fairly for the coal they’ve stolen and some more I might write it off… for now.”  
“Very good, ma’am. Let’s get you down there then.” Mr Washington said, and they turned back to the opening of the pit, and Anne without any scruples went down the pit to see with her own eyes Rawson’s men working their way through her upper bed. And she did, sparing no time to venture into Halifax to have a word with Mr. Rawson.  
  
Anne stormed into the bank, covered in soot and coaldust, looking quite terrifying if one were to be honest. Her eyes found Mr. Rawson’s secretary, and he paled at the sight of her,  
“Mr. Johnson, I would like a word with Mr. Rawson about him **_stealing_** my coal.” Anne exclaimed loudly and eyes shot her way from across the bank and whispers began.  
“Miss Lister, ma’am, I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Mr. Johnson stuttered, blocking her way with his own meek body, trying his best to deter her though he was trembling like a leaf. Anne eyed him up and down with an annoyed look, tapping her foot impatiently, twirling her cane in her hand,  
“Why shouldn’t I? Hm?”  
“Because, Miss Lister, Mr. Rawson’s vicious, he would twist it… no man has ever gone in there and made it out in one piece!” Mr. Johnson’s brow shone brightly, and he dabbed it nervously with his handkerchief, still standing in her way – Miss Lister might unnerve him but unlike Christopher Rawson – she would never leave her morals completely and kill him.  
Anne huffed, and a small, dangerous smile crept onto her features,  
“It’s a good thing I’m not a man then!”  
Anne pushed past Mr. Johnson, accidently bumping into his shoulder and he turned after her crying fearfully but in vain, as she had already bust the door open,

“Miss Lister!”  
  
“Hello, Christopher.” Anne barked as she came inside Christopher’s office, and he looked up fuming and she closed the door behind her without turning her back to him.  
“What are you doing here, Anne!?”  
Anne couldn’t help the smug smirk that settled on her face as she looked at him, knowing he had lost the game,  
“I’m here to talk about the coal.”  
“Ah, not this again!” Christopher sighed infuriated sitting back in his chair,  
“I really have no time for your paranoid nonsense, _Miss_ Lister.” Christopher hissed standing up from his chair to force her out of his office, but Anne stood her ground, still wearing a smug smile,  
“Mm, I think you will find time, Rawson. I have just been down to check on my upper bed. Funny that I should find _your_ men there, loosening heaps of coal from it. Upon asking, they revealed they had been told to do so by you and your brother – and apparently they have been at it for months on end.”  
Christopher seemed stunned to silence for a second, he had not been aware that Miss Lister had sunk a pit above it. His stance wavered for a moment but then he turned bright red with anger – possibly already a bit in his cups Anne thought regarding the brandy glass and half-empty bottle on his desk with a look of mild disgust on her face. Anne’s eyes returned to his,  
“You see-“  
“You’re bluffing!” Christopher interrupted her, looking fearsome but it didn’t move Anne at all, she merely dried the spit off her cheek calmly, creating lines in the coaldust that covered her face.  
“Mm, I’m not, and I have more than a handful of people who will testify against you.”  
“You bitch!” Christopher bit and Anne nodded, leaning closer to his face,  
“That I might be, but at least I’m not a _thief_!” Anne’s voice had become low but still held all the authority and danger that her whole person radiated. She could smell the alcohol on his breath, and she backed away a step, letting it sink in – he did not look happy.  
“I’m not someone to be messed with, Miss Lister.” Christopher finally found his words again and he spoke slowly and eyed her with a murderous look. The problem for him was that Anne wasn’t frightened by his threats. She could hold her own pretty well.  
“Neither am I, Mr Rawson. I will press charges and I fully intend to win – I will win. Even if I have to involve the head magistrate in York and Leeds.”  
“It’s your words against mine!” Christopher clenched his fists and Anne watched him carefully, he wouldn’t be able to pull any tricks on her,  
“Mm, right you are. You are known to be a cheat, liar and to withhold promises whereas I’m known as quite the opposite in terms of business. I do wonder who they’ll chose to believe.” Anne told him sardonically, making him if possible, even angrier with her.  
“I should have let that thug kill you when I had the chance.” He blurted out in a fit of anger and Anne merely raised an eyebrow and exclaimed in a deeply patronising voice;  
“Oh, goodie! - So, you do admit that you sent that thug to beat me up – well done! You are making such good progress on being honest.”  
“It’ll ruin your reputation with the people in Halifax if you do press charges – I will blacken your name until you cannot show your face outside again.” Christopher threatened, taking his brandy glass and swallowing the contents swiftly without taking his eyes of his enemy.  
“You think you can threaten me with that? Oh please, Christopher – you’ve gone soft. I know what you all say about me behind my back. My reputation is already stained with the gossip you and your family amongst others have been running for years.” Anne almost laughed at him; he was being an idiot.  
“I know you’re merely trying to scare me off, but I won’t be bullied into anything, Rawson. I will make you one deal though if you are interested.” Anne offered seriously, keeping a careful watch on his hands lest he take to violence. He huffed and puffed out his chest,  
“I’d rather make a deal with the devil!”  
“That’s entirely up to you.” Anne made a gesture with her hands, seeming to be at ease, which annoyed Christopher even more.  
“To show good faith to an old acquaintance, I will refrain from pressing charges, charges which might cost you all your fortune and entail a possible imprisonment, **if** you and your brother pay me for the coal you’ve stolen fairly adding ten pounds to every square yard of coal you’ve stolen.” Anne met his infuriated, red face with all the gravitas she owned.  
“You are insane and unreasonable Miss Lister!” Christopher roared, possibly disturbing the people outside, but Anne remained unmoved,  
“Quite possibly insane. However, not unreasonable… I gave you, time and time again a chance to pay for what you’d stolen fairly without outing you and your brother as thieves, and you chose to deny the whole thing. Only think if you hadn’t been so greedy and inept, you might’ve avoided this whole business. But here we are.”   
His eyes became cold as he eyed her with deep hatred, lifting his fists threatening,  
“You have no idea who I am, do you?”  
“I’d say it was the opposite – I do know exactly who you are – that’s why I know that you are mostly all pants and no trousers. Try me, I dare you – but I shan’t be responsible for the damage done to you.” Anne kept her eyes on his fists whilst she spoke so he couldn’t surprise her. Anne glanced briefly up at his small, mean eyes, crossing her arms aloof, striking an image as being rather indifferent to his visual threats.   
“Will you take my offer, hm? I want an answer now. Or my next stop is with the magistrate.”   
“God damn you, Anne!” Christopher hissed but he did move to sit down in his chair again, defeated and Anne smiled small but remained standing, towering over him as he brought out a pen to calculate the money, he now owed her. There couldn’t have been a better outcome, Anne thought proudly, she would gain a sizable profit from it and they had to admit their trespass to her. This was by far more profitable for her than time consuming trials and the outcome of that. Mind that it might be just a little bit sad not to send him off to prison but, on the whole – a great outcome she had had. Christmas had come early this year for Anne, but it seemed that Christopher would from now on forever be on Santa’s naughty list.


	14. Church

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 14 and Christmas is around the corner. Hope this might liven up your Monday... enjoy! Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Church 
> 
> Anne finds herself in some grave trouble at Church...

_ Let them talk _ , Anne thought to herself as she ignored the whispers surrounding her and Ann after the service on Christmas morning. _Their talk doesn’t bother me_ , Anne tried to convince herself, focusing her attention on the blonde next to her who were all smiles this morning, trying to rest in her joy and easiness.   
Friends and neighbours came to have a polite chat, and Anne greeted them warmly - every single one of them – kill them with kindness had never rung truer. It was her best defence. They couldn’t ignore her or slight her when she was being so nice without appearing exceedingly rude themselves. That didn’t hinder them from trying their best to ignore her as much as possible whilst talking to Ann, and it didn’t stop their disapproving looks and stares from shooting her way. Anne did her best to keep her temper in check, _Let them gossip_ she thought as she heard someone say her name a little too loud a few feet away. _They have no idea what’s between me and Ann anyway_ Anne glanced at them bitterly, they would never know the love that was between them, would never understand it – and it saddened her deeply. All she wanted was for the whole wide world to know that she loved her so. Ann’s hand touched her arm gently but brief as she didn’t want to draw much attention to themselves,  
“Are you ready to leave?” Ann wondered and Anne smiled back at her, feeling a sudden surge of relief at the prospect of going home where she could give her wife a kiss,   
“Yes.”   
“Where’s Marian?” Ann looked about herself, but Anne needn’t answer as said person appeared before them,  
“I just had a lovely chat with Mrs. Smith – they wanted to invite us to tea someday.”   
“Oh, that’s very kind of her! We would be delighted, wouldn’t we, Anne?” Ann glanced up at Anne with a sharp look and Anne, though clearly apathetic, mumbled,   
“Mm. Very.”   
Ann pinched her arm unnoticed, and Anne startled,   
“Ouch!”   
“Do try and look a little less, I don’t know, depressed.”   
“What if I am?!” Anne muttered, and Ann rolled her eyes at her,   
“Let’s go home and get you something to eat.”  
“I don’t eat lunch.” Anne pressed and Ann shared an annoyed look with Marian,   
“No wonder you’re in such a cranky state half day.”   
“Ah!”   
“Come on, don’t dawdle Anne!” Ann teased as she and Marian made a move to exit the church and Anne had to take large strides to catch up with them, turning to them, forcing them to slow down.   
“What did you mean before? I’m not ill-tempered…” Anne complained to Ann who had to bite her lip not to laugh at her slightly whiny voice – sometimes Anne was her own worst enemy.   
“Well, you are a bit grumpy come afternoon when you haven’t eaten since breakfast.” Ann pressed, her eyes sparkling with mirth and Marian had a hard time keeping her laughter at bay – teasing Anne was too much fun sometimes.   
“I am no-AH!” Anne’s yelp cut her sentence short as she stumbled, not looking at where her feet were going, and she fell four feet down a newly dug grave. This was truly a nightmare. To be buried alive. Anne was certain she had bruised her ribs, and various other bones as well as her face from her fall.   
“Oh Lord, Anne are you alright? Are you alright?!” Ann shouted down at her anxiously, her face a bit pale with worry. Anne groaned into the dirt, turning around slowly to face them.   
“Apart from being trapped in a grave, and maybe suffering from a few broken bones and embarrassment beyond what I’m capable of handling… I’m dapper, why do you ask?”   
“Do you need a hand up?” Ann quirked an eyebrow, looking about herself for something to help Anne up with.   
“Why? Does it look like I need help?” Anne spouted mockingly and Ann’s eyes fluttered upwards as she shot her a glare,   
“Do you really want me to answer that or would you like to remain in denial about needing help? - Digging your own grave deeper, if you will pardon my use of expression…”   
Marian laughed at that, but for obvious reasons Anne didn’t. She merely sulked in her grave, refusing to give them a reply.   
“I’m going to get the vicar, or someone else to help you out. Oh, look Dr Kenny!” Marian waved at her friend and Anne’s eyes widened in pure panic, Dr Kenny would not act as her hero in her moment of distress – over her dead body!   
Anne scrambled up despite her sore body protesting her movements, and she reached up to the edge of the grave trying but failing to heave herself up because her hands and feet kept slipping. She tried to dig her feet into the ‘wall’ of the grave to leap out of it, but the dirt was frozen solid.   
“Do you want a hand, Anne?” Ann asked her amused as Anne landed on her behind for the second time. The brunette glared at her but reluctantly reached her hand out for Ann’s.   
“If I…” Anne thought, backing up the few steps she could, letting go of Ann’s hand, readying herself to take charge and leap forwards.   
“I’m ready.” Ann told her; her hand ready to clasp Anne’s wrist. Anne exhaled before leaping forwards and Ann very much true to her word, caught her wrist pulling her with all her strength out of the grave. It wasn’t done with much elegance though – Ann toppled over by the force which Anne came up and Anne landed atop of her with a thud making them both moan in pain.   
“Seriously?” Marian eyed them with a quizzical brow as she came over once more, and they tried to quickly detangle themselves and get up from the ground, aware that more than one person was staring at them.   
“The lengths you go through to not be helped by a man.”   
“Well, what can I say, Marian – I’m no maiden in distress.”   
Marian shook her head, thanking Dr Kenny for hurrying over with her, and he left them confused, scratching the back of his head.  
With Anne up out of the grave, Marian led the way through the snowy paths to their readied sleigh. Ann walked close to her wife, smirking at her,  
“What?” Anne asked briskly as Ann had stared at her for a minute, and the blonde’s smile grew wider,   
“Remember when you told me that you weren’t as strong as I might think?”   
“Mm, yes, I remember that very vulnerable and sweet moment, why?” Anne glanced down at her mischievous wife – what was she getting at?   
“Well, and then you said that you obviously were but sometimes you were not… was this that moment? You know when you weren’t.” Ann eyed her carefully and Anne rolled her eyes, a chuckle escaping her,   
“Oh shush you!”   
“There’s no need to be so grave and solemn.” Ann scolded her with a teasing grin and Anne nudged her discreetly,   
“Not funny.”   
“Dead funny!” Ann argued laughing and Anne shook her head,   
“There will be no more Christmas fun to be had if you do not stop with your awful jokes!”   
“Shame, I thought you’d appreciate them, I guess I have to dig deeper for better ones…”   
“Just you wait! Tonight, you will die but little.” Anne said seriously but winked at Ann who flushed bright read thus shutting her up... for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of Anne's thoughts were pretty much direct quotes from Roberta Flack's "Let them talk"


	15. Gingerbread house

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 15 of this calendar and I must say that I'm impressed if anyone has read this far... kudos to you! Xx 
> 
> Let's get on with the show!  
> Prompt: Gingerbread house 
> 
> Ann tries to distract Anne and Marian from quarreling with each other...

They had been snowed in for the past week, barely able to get out of the house more than onto the courtyard – and hardly that either. The weather was by all means terrible, and Shibden might be grand enough but to be in such close proximity with all the occupants so many days in a row – all day long, was a bit testing for all parties. Or rather it meant that Anne and Marian were at each other’s throats and Ann, Aunt Anne and Captain Lister suffered because of it.  
“What was the point in becoming half-deaf if they are just yelling all the time anyway?” Captain Lister huffed to Ann who snickered at him,  
“Maybe we should try and distract them for a while?”  
“One could try, Miss Walker – but our Anne and Marian aren’t that easily distracted from quarrelling with each other.” Aunt Anne said quietly, and Ann smiled at her but thought for a minute, standing up with a sudden spout of energy,  
“Oh, I know how!”  
“Really!? If you can bring any peace and quiet to this household for more than an hour, you shall be my new hero – and a saint at that too!” Captain Lister growled, and Ann eyed the man,  
“I think I might be able to do that. At least keep them at peace – to have them be quiet too might be an overestimation on my part.”  
“Good luck – you’ll need it with them!” Aunt Anne told her, and Ann laughed,  
“Thank you.”  
  
Ann went into the room next to the sitting room where the Lister sisters were having round sixteen of rows since that morning. She didn’t even try to silence them with words, she merely walked in and stood herself in-between them and both the ladies were so surprised at her sudden appearance that they stopped their yelling.  
“Ann? Is something the matter?” Anne asked, her voice turned suddenly soft and kind, Marian seemed annoyed by it but didn’t express it, she turned to Ann instead,  
“Is everything alright?”  
“Oh, yes. Everything is fine, it’s just I had an idea of an activity we might do to pass time.”  
“With Marian?” Anne’s eyebrow raised and Ann sighed at her,  
“Of course with Marian – don’t be…”  
Ann were about to say disgusting, because she knew what Anne had implied, but Ann didn’t want Marian to go there in her mind, so she left the sentence hanging.  
“What is it?” Marian inquired, and Ann smiled wide,  
“I thought we’d bake.”  
“Bake?” Anne looked sceptical, “Us? – Me, you, her – bake? We have servants…”  
“Yes, you, me and Marian bake together. I was thinking gingerbread houses. Mrs. Cordingley has already prepared a batch of dough and I thought we might have a bit of a competition – trying to build houses and whichever is the prettiest wins.”  
“I don’t know.” Marian seemed unconvinced and Ann looked pleadingly at her,  
“Oh, come on? There is not much else to do- we are snowed in; we might as well have a bit of a laugh!”  
“Go on then.” Anne said, offering her wife a kind smile – she would do anything for those eyes. Marian sighed but nodded,  
“Fine – I guess there’s not much else to do.”  
Ann squealed quietly – this could be so much fun. Anne laughed at her glee, and they all went into the kitchen’s together, surprising Mrs Cordingley and Hemingway,  
“Cordingley – do you have any gingerbread uh, dough?” Anne asked and the woman finally found her words again,  
“Um, yes ma’am!”  
“Could we use some? We thought we’d make gingerbread houses.” Ann hurriedly said before the brunette had a chance at speaking and the woman nodded,  
“Of course. It’s all here. I’ll heat the oven for you, and burn some sugar to assemble the pieces, miss Walker.”  
“Excellent, thank you!” Ann was well pleased with herself and the two sisters couldn’t help but be swept up in her joy.  
  
They worked hard on their houses, after having made the pieces they tried to assemble them but working with melted sugar was both hard and what’s worse – it was extremely hot and easy to burn on. Ann had done houses Christmases past at Crow Nest when she had been alone, or with her sister – it was such a joy to make them and Ann loved working out how to make different pieces fit together and new ways of making the houses. It wasn’t a big surprise therefore that she finished first – having made a lovely little hut, it looked a bit like the chaumiére, and Anne smirked at her as she saw the finished product that had been decorated delicately.  
“I think I recognise that house…” Anne looked at her and Ann blushed, and with laughter threatening to escape she said,  
“Really? It’s an important build for me.”  
“What is the name of your creation?” Marian asked as she came over to have a look, and Ann answered without breaking eye-contact with Anne,  
“ l'étreinte ”  
Anne bit her lip not to laugh but suddenly they heard Eugenie gaps and then they saw Mrs. Cordingley whack the woman over the head shushing her. Ann began laughing because Anne was beginning to go quite red from keeping it in, and Marian just laughed confused, and Anne leant down to Ann’s ear,  
“It’s a good thing – Marian isn’t proficient in French.”  
Ann smiled in response but then sobered,  
“How are your creations coming along then?”  
“Mine is mostly finished.” Marian told her and pointed to the gingerbread house she had made. It was quaint, simple but whole and even.  
“Oh, it looks lovely! Especially considering you have never made one before.” Ann praised and Marian flushed a bit,  
“Thank you, you’re much too kind!”  
“Is it supposed to look like a certain house?” Ann wondered and Marian nodded,  
“Our house back in Market Weighton.”  
“Hell, on earth.” Anne coughed and Marian threw her a dirty look, but before any yelling could start Ann decided to quickly jump in and steer the conversation,  
“Can I see yours, Anne?” Ann asked the brunette who had gone over to her house, covering it with her body,  
“Eh, no it’s not quite finished.”  
“Come on – you’ve had plenty of time, let us see! What have you made?”  
“Eh, Shibden…” Anne murmured, as they got closer, and eventually she caved and moved. Marian’s hand flew up to her mouth trying to cover it to not let any laughter out, and Ann tried her best to find something positive to say about it,  
“At least it’s who…” Ann was interrupted by the whole house collapsing, and Marian burst out laughing,  
“Oh that’s Shibden alright – after it’s been yours for a while!”  
“Shut up!” Anne growled, her cheeks growing a bit red.  
“Who wins, between me and Anne?” Marian said amused, and Ann looked at the ruins of Anne’s house,  
“Well, Anne’s very interesting – it’s got historical value – a ruin from the past…”  
“Oh bollocks! You are just saying that because she’s your w, companion! It’s a mess.” Marian complained, and Ann laughed,  
“I’m sorry, Anne – it’s awful!”  
“That’s alright, we can’t be great at everything, if gingerbread baking is the one thing I am lacking in – I’m pleased.” Anne said seriously, and Marian smirked at her sister,  
“Someone’s a bit of a sore loser!”  
Anne picked up a piece of gingerbread and threw at her sister,  
“Oh shut it!”  
“Don’t throw that at me!” Marian barked before throwing a piece of her house, and Ann sighed – leaving the kitchen for the sitting room,  
“Nearly an hour and a half– I’m impressed.” Captain Lister told her as she sat down,  
“What are they fighting about now?”  
“Marian bested Anne at building gingerbread houses.”  
“By little?”  
“Eh, by a lot… Anne’s was in ruins within seconds. It was horrible.”  
“Marian’s is nice then?” Aunt Anne inquired and Ann grimaced,  
“Was… they are throwing the remains at each other now.”  
They heard the distant sounds of the gingerbread houses being destroyed, and the shouting that followed. For a moment they looked at each other and then Aunt Anne sighed picking up her magnifying glass to read the newspaper again commenting,   
“Sometimes I cannot believe they are grown women.”  
“Me neither.” Ann sighed, and Captain Lister shook his head,  
“They have always been like this, I think…”  
Captain Lister seemed to be in thought for a second but then he shrugged a shoulder and glanced at the blonde,  
“Now, Miss Walker – would you mind playing a turn of Backgammon with me?”  
“Not at all, Sir. I’d be delighted.” Ann smiled, and set up the table, and proceeded to thrash Captain Lister in all the turns meanwhile they listened to the sweet sounds of the Lister sisters arguing- oh what Christmas joy! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tbh building Shibden out of Gingerbread (even just a part of it) is really hard... like seriously - might've had a minor breakdown whilst doing it with my friend, and she did the hardest part to be candid. It didn't turn out great but we'll build all of it next year...
> 
> <https://cansomebodypleasemarrymeasap.tumblr.com/post/637237055218401280/this-was-so-much-fun>  
> 
> 
> Also, I took French in school for four years... (that was seven years ago though) I did somehow get an A - but I don't speak French for **** so pardon my French... but I used google translate. 


	16. Coal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's day sixteen and time is running out to make amends for the things we've done throughout the year, and coal might just be the one gift that gets put in the stocking... hopefully not... 
> 
> Prompt: Coal
> 
> The subject of coal emerges...

They were all sitting down to breakfast and it had all been lovely and quiet, for a short while but then Anne and Marian had decided to venture into topics they didn’t agree on and their usual quarrelling had begun.   
Captain Lister sighed into his porridge and Aunt Anne shared a tired look with Ann who massaged her temples with her fingertips - it was too early for this; besides she hadn’t felt great all morning with her back giving her pain. But the two sisters seemed to take no notice of the other’s around the table that all displayed their discomfort and annoyance at their bickering. And if they did, they clearly didn’t care about that – both too stubborn to stand down a fight.   
Ann knew that it wasn’t likely to subside until one of them left the table. But Ann eyed her wife, hoping her gaze would burn in her neck, and will her to stop taunting Marian to continue the argument – sometimes Anne was too stubborn for her own good and such a tease! – And when it came to teasing and taunting Marian, it was never amusing. Hardly ever anyways. Especially not at fifteen minutes past eight in the morning, Ann thought annoyed glaring at the side of Anne’s face.   
  
Ann startled, dropping her fork as both of them raised their voices, shouting at each other. A growl escaped Ann, not that they heard her – their cries were too loud.   
“You are doing it again! Running over everyone! - Just like you did, when you decided to sink the bloody coal pits!” Marian cried annoyed and Anne groaned at her sister, dragging her hand over her face before pointing at Marian infuriated,  
“The coal pits were and is a great investment. We will make a good sizable profit from it!”   
“That’s not the point, Anne! You just rule with no care for anyone else. No matter that we live here too!” Marian replied even more angered than before, and Ann thought she had a point. But she’d never say that out loud, well, maybe if she was alone with Anne and trying to win an argument. Because Anne had gambled Shibden – without telling anyone. She had gambled their safety and home without allowing them a say in it. Obviously, she had done it with only good intent but… still, and she had all but lost it - Ann couldn’t help a sigh of relief at that thought– it was a good thing, Marian didn’t know just how close Anne had been to lose Shibden. Otherwise, Ann, Aunt Anne and Captain Lister might’ve needed to try and stop Marian from strangling Anne to death. Ann scowled at Anne again – she could strangle her a little bit right now for being such a pain this morning. However, she was called from those thoughts by Captain Lister as he slammed his spoon against the bowl.   
“Coal is a nasty business.” Captain Lister muttered still staring into his porridge and Marian’s eyes darted to him and she pointed her hand at him,  
“Yes! Thank you, father.”   
“But the chief is right. It was a bloody good investment.” Captain Lister continued, with a brief look between both his daughters, and Anne smirked at Marian who rolled her eyes.  
“There.” Anne marked far too pleased, but Marian refused to let it settle,  
“No! Because you’ve got to learn to listen to other people, and to be kinder. Not everyone has to live life according to y-your whims all the time! We were left a right to live here too.”   
“Marian, it’s getting rather annoying, this obsessive behaviour of yours. It always comes back to the fact that uncle left Shibden to me and not you. And we all know why he did.” Anne said slowly, repeating what she had said a million times before, making Marian if possible, more angry with her.   
“You are… you are such a… a God damn you, Anne! The only good about that coal is that it makes for a splendid Christmas gift for you – you - nit-picker!” Marian growled, throwing her napkin on the table with force, leaving the room in a flair of dramatics. Meanwhile Anne sat completely calm at the table, watching as her sister left, before turning to the table once more, raising an eyebrow,   
“Did she just call me a nit-picker?”   
“Anne… I thought we’d agreed that you wouldn’t tease Marian so.” Aunt Anne murmured, slowly getting up, Anne sighed,

“I wasn’t but she… she says the stupidest things. I don’t know where she gets it all from.”   
“Anne dear, try and be a bit kinder and a tad more cheerful for the season, or coal might well do for you.” Aunt Anne gave her a serious look, one of the mothering kinds, before leaving the room to go find and talk to Marian. Her father left with a huff, having put up with enough for one meal and Anne put her hand down on the table with some force turning her dark eyes to Ann, quirking her eyebrow,   
“Hm?”   
“Well… I suppose it’s true.” Ann mumbled tiredly and Anne gasped, she couldn’t believe her ears,   
“What do you mean? I’m always cheery and kind.”   
“Of course, you are dearest…” Ann patronised her, taking a sip from her cup, barely looking at her wife. She had just ruined a perfectly good breakfast despite knowing that Ann didn’t even want to come down in the first place because of the pain that came with her ‘cousin’.   
“Wha-, I am!” Anne argued, looking at Ann disgruntled, and Ann rolled her eyes but little, still not looking at her,   
“Mm, and I am sure everyone would agree you were.”   
“You are being sarcastic, and I have to say that I’m hurt!” Anne crossed her arms dryly, and Ann couldn’t help but laugh at her for acting like such a child, and she placed a warm hand on Anne’s knee,   
“You know I love you, Anne, because of all your passion – but sometimes that makes you a little ill-tempered and mean.”   
“It’s a good thing you are such a pretty creature, and that I love you endlessly or I might’ve said things now.” Anne told her sharply and Ann looked at her, nodding mock-serious,  
“I’m sure you would. Something about how you aren’t, in a way that said you definitely were.”   
“Are you feeling better, Adney?” Anne wondered the tiniest bit amused, and Ann tucked her lip under her teeth, looking adorable,  
“Well you are with me, aren’t you?”   
Anne grabbed her by the chin gently, eying her face closely, a small smile playing her lips,   
“Are you trying to suck up to me, Walker?”   
“Is it working?” Ann smirked, raising her eyebrows,   
“Hm...” Anne mused, pretending to ponder it, to tease Ann, however the blonde was intent on making her case, and seeing as no one was in the room, she ran her warm hand along Anne’s skirt, placing it higher up on Anne’s thigh, surprising the woman who tensed. Ann ran small circles just there, not breaking eye contact with her wife, wearing a small flirtatious smile. Anne bit down on her tongue not to let any indecent sound escape her, her eyes closing, making Ann laugh at her,   
“So. I win?”   
“What?” Anne opened her eyes, her mind still slightly distracted by the fingers that were dangerously close to where she’d rather fancied, they’d be.   
“Our spat. I won.”   
“We didn’t have a spat.” Anne protested with a frown.   
“Mm, well I would argue we did indeed have one, and now I’ve won it.” Ann persisted and Anne raised her distracting hand from her thigh, pressing a kiss to the back of it,  
“You didn’t win, and you better get used to it. I stand by what I said – I am always cheery.”   
“Oh, I think you are the one who has to get used to losing… that and to stop looking at your ridiculous pocket-watch all the time!”   
“It isn’t ridiculous! It is a perfectly sound thing to keep track of time! It’s not illegal!” Anne shouted offended, throwing Ann’s hand from her but Ann didn’t mind, she merely offered Anne a cheeky grin,   
“Oh I thought… correct me if I’m wrong, Anne… but weren’t you always cheery?”   
“You tricked me – not fair!”   
Ann’s laugh bubbled up when Anne stuck her tongue out at her, it felt so good to just laugh after the terrible night and morning she’d had and even Anne couldn’t resist laughter escaping her– not when her wife had the most contagious laughter she’d heard.   
  
Ann couldn’t help, once she’d calmed down a bit, but stare at Anne’s brilliantly intelligent face, glancing at the full soft, pink lips. Anne grinned as she noticed it and leant down to graze her lips, melting into a lovely and tender kiss. Anne broke them apart before anyone saw them and with a smirk she said,  
“With those kinds of ugly tricks, I think you deserve nothing but coal for Christmas, Adney.”   
“You know… I just realised something.” Ann mumbled in thought, looking very much like she was just saying whatever had just come to mind, Anne confused, and intrigued by what that might be asked;  
“What? Tell me.”  
“Well, I just… you know, thinking about who deserves coal for Christmas, Christopher came to mind…”   
Anne scoffed, interrupting Ann,  
“Obviously.”

“Yes well, it’s a bit… it doesn’t work with him, does it? If you gave him coal because he has been stealing your coal… now that’s just giving him more coal…”   
“Well yes… not that I was of a mind to give him anything, anyway.” Anne chortled amused,   
“But if you wanted to punish him for all his wrongs – just tell his mother, and he will never hear the end of it.” Anne smirked making the blonde laugh,   
“Does she know? About the whole business with the coal, I mean.”   
“Mm… I might’ve told her last year to lure him here.”   
“To yell at him for stealing your coal?” Ann wondered and Anne nodded, shrugging her shoulder,  
“Well that, and to yell at him for humiliating my sister in the middle of the bank. I wouldn’t let him get away with insulting my sister, especially not when I was the one, he was trying to get at. Marian might be annoying and all that but only I own the privilege of picking on her, if anyone else has a go – well then, I’ll beat them blue.”   
“Aw, you are just the softest, and sweetest person underneath it all, hm Pony?!” Ann teased and Anne kissed her quickly on the lips looking mischievous,  
“Repeat that disgusting slander again, and there will be consequences!”   
“Oh, It’s too bad you don’t scare me, Lister.” Ann retorted smugly and Anne shook her head at her, touching her nose with hers in a very loving manner, laughing,   
“Coal. Your stocking will be full of coal!”


	17. Ice Pond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's day seventeen of the Christmas Calendar and it's coming on Christmas there cutting down trees, there putting up reindeer and singing songs of joy and peace... <\- That's 'River' by Joni Mitchell, I listened to the song whilst writing this, though it isn't half as sad as the song. It's mostly fluff actually. Keep safe and read on! Xx 
> 
> Quick disclaimer: I'm Bambi on ice, I can't skate - I'm just writing sappy fanfiction, please don't yell at me for using the wrong terms...  
> Prompt: Ice Pond 
> 
> Ann teaches Anne how to skate.

The snow was whirling alongside the landscape and had been doing so for the past weeks. Anne had carefully recorded the low temperatures in her journal after checking her thermometer every morning and night. It was a trusty friend in these times. How else was one supposed to know how to predict the weather? Or measure the cold over time?  
The cold weather had forced people to shelter from it inside, more than before, but it hadn’t managed to keep Anne from venturing outdoors. Not much could actually. But this morning it wasn’t business or estate affairs taking her out of the house but her wife. Ann had persuaded her to leave her study and accompany her out of doors in the cold, crisp winter morning. As they breathed, white clouds escaped them, and they walked closely together to keep as warm as possible. Ann led her down to the large pond, that had become frozen solid after weeks of low temperatures. The blonde put a foot on the icy surface, and Anne quickly took hold of her arm,  
“Careful Darling! - It might crack open.”  
Ann squeezed her hand in hers, smiling back at her worried face,  
“It’s thick enough - I promise!”  
“I’m not so sure about that.” Anne glanced nervously at the ice, trying to discern whether it was or wasn’t. Ann threw her a grin as she took another step out on the ice. Anne whimpered afraid that she would suddenly fall through the ice, if so – how much could Anne do to pull her up again? Ann only chuckled kindly at her,  
“Come on Anne, it’s not dangerous – in any case it is not half as dangerous as climbing a mountain.”  
“A mountain doesn’t suddenly crack open and swallow you though.” Anne mumbled, her eyes still fixated on the icy surface, looking for cracks in it. Ann shook her head at her,  
“It’s fine.”  
“Sam died… drowning in Ireland – he fell through the ice.” Anne said seriously, and she looked as though it was exactly where she was in her mind currently – in Ireland, watching her brother drown, though she hadn’t actually been there when it had happened. Ann felt guilty suddenly and walked back over the ice to Anne standing on solid ground, taking her hands in hers, sneaking a kiss to the corner of her pink lips,  
“I’m sorry. I didn’t stop to think.”  
“That’s fine.” Anne murmured, and Ann ran her hands up and down Anne’s arms almost as if to warm her up and settle her fears before she whipped up the courage to ask Anne the question she had been itching to ask all morning,  
“You know, wouldn’t you like to try ice-skating? I could hold your hand, and we needn’t be far out on the ice – we could be close to land.”  
“I worry it’s not thick enough.” Anne frowned looking out over the pond and Ann followed her gaze before looking into her worried eyes,  
“Well, it’s been below freezing temperatures for weeks – there is no way it isn’t thick enough.”   
“True…” Anne mumbled, she couldn’t deny it, it was only logical that the ice lay thick and that it was sturdy enough for both her and Ann.  
“I brought the skates…” Ann held them up in front of Anne, she had taken them with her wrapped within her shawl and Anne bit her lip self-consciously, she had never skated on ice before, which was surprising considering all that she had done. Ann smiled at her patiently and eventually Anne exhaled slowly and nodded,  
“Alright. But you can’t let go of my hand!”  
“I won’t.” Ann promised, before sitting down on the ground to attach the blades to her shoes, Anne sat down to do the same. When they had managed to secure the skates to their shoes Ann stood up, offering Anne a hand to help her up. The tall woman wobbled for a bit and fell forwards steadying herself on Ann’s arms, saving herself from falling. Ann gave her an encouraging smile,  
“It’s going to be fine! You will get hang of it soon enough.”  
“This is humiliating.” Anne muttered as she clung for dear life to Ann as they slowly made it out on the ice, Ann laughed a gay sort of laugh, looking very fondly at her unsteady wife,  
“It’s not. It’s a fun learning experience with your wife.”  
“Fun.” Anne scoffed as she slipped on her skates, but Ann held her, preventing her from falling on her behind,  
“Come on, smile Anne – it’ll help with your balance if you relax a bit.”  
“Relax? If I relax, I will fall, the ice will open, swallow me and I will die. And I have far too much to do to die so young. Why would you lead me out on this death-trap!?”  
“That’s a bit dramatic even for you, dearest.” Ann smirked, and Anne eyed her for a second before looking at her feet again trying her best to stay on them and not fall on her behind.  
“The worst that can happen is that you will fall and bruise a knee or your back – you won’t die! Come, now give me a smile. Isn’t it lovely being out here, just me and you?”  
“If lovely is me being bloody terrified, then yes, it is lovely beyond measure!” Anne cried, as she once again wobbled on her skates, Ann rolled her eyes at her, moving with ease, holding Anne’s hand tight in hers as promised,  
“If you would stop tensing so much, it will get easier, I promise. Trust me!”  
Anne looked at her, her eyes betraying all her feelings and Ann offered a kind, encouraging smile, running her thumb against Anne’s knuckles,  
“Alright.” Anne exhaled, trying to breathe calmer, and move forwards without tensing so much, and it did get better. Anne’s eyes darted from her feet to Ann’s eyes, her own eyes shining as a smile finally made its way onto her features,  
“This wasn’t so hard!”  
“You are doing great, dearest.” Ann laughed, incredibly happy that Anne was beginning to enjoy their activity, even if but little. They glided around the pond, holding hands, laughing merrily with each other, at each other, talking about everything between heaven and earth. Enjoying and treasuring this moment alone with their hands entwined out on the pond. Eventually Anne became too cocky and increased their speed, Ann gave a cry,  
“Anne no!”  
But too late, Anne lost her balance and then managed to pull Ann with her down in a heap on the ice. The ice didn’t crack one bit as they crashed onto it, they bruised far more than the ice. Ann hadn’t let go of Anne’s hand, she had after all promised not to let go, but her arm was at an awkward angle and she was hurting a fair amount. But she immediately checked on her wife first, as she had been feeling queasy about the whole thing,  
“Are you alright, Anne?” Ann, reached out for her, touching her cheek and Anne blinked up at the heavens, turning her eyes to her wife’s before bursting into laughter,  
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to pull you with me!”  
“Did you hit your head?” Ann asked confused, wearing an uncertain smile, and Anne shook her head laughing,  
“No! Sorry it’s just, it wasn’t even half as bad as I imagined it would be. Now I feel ridiculous for fretting so before…”  
Ann smiled relieved,  
“Good. I thought I would have to eat up everything I said about it not being dangerous.”  
“Come on, let’s brush off and continue our rendezvous.” Anne grinned wide, holding Ann’s hand in hers as they did their best to elegantly stand up again on the ice. It might have not looked that elegant though, but they got up; Rosy cheeked, with eyes sparkling and laughter ringing around them, then they became suddenly quiet before, leaning into each other sharing a sweet, loving kiss out on the ice. 


	18. Stockings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day eighteen of this Christmas Calendar and it's time to hang those stockings on the mantel... almost anyways...  
> Today's one shot was inspired by myself and the fact that I cannot embroider for the love of me. In the words of my teacher back when I was at school, "I could give you an A for creativity but you cannot sow... at all. It's honestly terrible and I can't give you any higher than C." (My sowing was barely passable, she gave me that grade because of my ideas hehe.) Getting away from the point... Enjoy! Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Stockings 
> 
> Ann and Marian embroiders stockings peacefully whilst Anne faces her enemy.

Anne was never one to stand down a battle. She was currently faced with a vicious enemy and though she had already suffered many wounds to herself, she stubbornly continued to fight. With every move she felt herself more entangled than before and she knew not how to make it out whole. Blood trickled down her hands and stained her white shirt. The bruises done to her stung, but she would persevere, she had to. Her eyebrows furrowed as she eyed her enemy with all the contempt she could muster. It was a devilish beast, and she would conquer it. She must lest she suffer a terribly embarrassing defeat. But at what price? She thought as she once again was pierced by the enemy sword.  
“Oh, Anne you are absolutely worthless!” Marian cried as she heard her sister wince for the hundredth time, Anne’s head shot up and she glared at her sister, but Ann let go of her needle and moved closer to Anne taking her hand in hers, looking at the many small bruises where her needle had prickled her skin.  
“Poor dear.” Ann said but her lips twitched slightly as she tried to withhold a chuckle,  
“I hate embroidery.” Anne growled and Ann laughed and then brought up Anne’s bleeding finger to her lips, kissing it.  
“There, all better.”  
“Whose idea was this?” Anne muttered, picking her needle up again, eying the tangled threads on her stocking and Ann smirked,  
“Yours!”  
“Mine? Why would I ever willingly do embroidery!?” Anne glanced at her wife and Ann bit her lip,  
“Marian said you couldn’t, you said you weren’t allowed, she said that it was because you’re a coward, so then you absolutely had to – to prove her wrong.”  
“Oh, yes.” Anne nodded, eying her needle suspiciously before trying to detangle her threads, but her patience was running out and she sighed dropping the whole thing in her lap.  
“I can’t.” Anne mumbled and Marian gave her a look of triumph,  
“What was that sister dear?”  
Anne were about to bait and start an argument, but Ann calmly put down her own stocking that she was embroidering and took Anne’s from her lap.  
“Come, I’ll help you.”  
“It’s meaningless.”  
“No, there is nothing we cannot detangle together.” Ann winked, and Anne snorted at her, her features finally softening a bit. Ann frowned at the tangled threads and began carefully to undo them.  
“How can you be so patient?” Anne asked watching as her wife detangled her mess, and Ann smirked up at her,  
“Well, I’ve had practice.”  
“How?” Anne asked amused and Ann didn’t look up, but she was laughing quietly into her lap,  
“Living with you, travelling with you.”  
Marian snorted in her corner of the room, and Anne glared at her before turning her eyes back to her wife.  
“Is that so?”  
“Mm.” Ann replied, concentrating on a particularly hard knot in the mess of threads. Anne watched her wife in awe, she really was the sweetest thing especially with that concentrated look on her features. After many minutes Ann finally looked up with a pleased grin,  
“There, all done. Make sure not to make such a mess of it again.”  
“Thank you, Adney.” Anne smiled gratefully and accepted her stocking and needle back again. But as soon as she pointed her needle to the stocking Ann dropped her things again, placing her hands on hers.  
“No, not like that, Anne, you will make a mess of it again!”  
“I’m not that awful!” Anne protested and Ann grimaced,  
“Let us just say that it was and is a good thing that you never wanted to become an accomplished lady according to societies depiction of that word.”  
Marian were laughing properly now but Anne ignored her sister,  
“Uh! I know how to use a needle; I have sown humans shut.”  
“Yes, I don’t doubt that you have. But let’s thank God, that those people were already dead.” Ann smirked and Anne rolled her eyes at the blonde, barking,  
“Embroidery and sowing is not the same thing.”  
“No, I know – I just think you are really cute when you are upset.” Ann teased and Anne exhaled loudly,  
“I’m going to leave and do something that actually matters.”  
“Come on, Anne, it was a tease. Sit down! I’ll help you… besides you need to have a stocking hung on Christmas day and it can’t be spelt Anr just because you couldn’t finish the n properly and the e.”  
Anne slumped down on the couch again, sighing,  
“Fine… but it’s your fault if my hands are completely useless after having been stabbed a million times by that stupid needle.”  
“Ah yes, what terrible fate if the great Anne Lister cannot write her journal for one day.” Marian’s eyes fluttered upwards as she spoke dryly and both Ann(e)’s eyes darted to her, and then the blonde eyed her wife seriously,  
“You mean…?”  
“Yes.”  
“Fu…dge.” Ann blushed furiously, but took Anne’s hand in hers hurriedly,  
“I’ll guide you through it.”  
“Really?” Anne smirked and she let herself be guided by Ann, who gently held her hand in hers.  
  
“Am I doing this right?” Anne asked as she tried to do exactly as Ann had showed her, and Ann’s eyebrows raised as she laughed kindly, shaking her head at her wife, helping her re-do the stitch, and Anne pouted,  
“Can’t I just… can’t you just do it for me?”  
“Anne… the whole point is to do it yourself…” Ann said amused and Anne made an effort to pout more, and Ann bit her lip, shaking her head, smiling at the brunette and suddenly they heard Marian groan loudly,  
“Oh for the love of God, you even made embroidery flirty?”  
Anne and Ann glanced at her and then at each other before bursting out in laughter,  
“Ah, at this rate the stockings will hardly be finished by Christmas morning.” Marian sighed at them, and Anne composed herself slightly,  
“But Christmas isn’t about everything being done to perfection but to be with those you love.”  
“You’re just saying that because you suck at embroidery.” Ann teased and Anne gasped and stuck her tongue out, and Marian shook her head laughing,  
“It’s like living with two five-year olds sometimes.”  
Anne threw a thread roll at her sister, though it missed her and flew behind her, just as Aunt Anne entered. It only barely missed the woman, and she gave Anne a tired look,  
“I thought we agreed after the needle accident of 1806 that you weren’t allowed to do embroidery anymore.”  
Anne gave Ann a triumphant look,  
“I told you so.”  
Ann whacked her over the head, and her smug grin was replaced with a grimace,  
“Ouch.”  
“Serves you right!”  
“Aunt! Did you see what she did!?” Anne cried, rubbing the back of her head and Aunt Anne rolled her eyes whilst shaking her head,  
“Anne when I took you in some twenty-six years ago, I didn’t think I’d still have to mother you at forty-three.”  
“I will not stand and be insulted in my own house.”  
“You’re sitting down.” Marian murmured, but for once was unheard, but Aunt Anne smirked,  
“Well then, my dear child, you are more than welcomed to go outside and sulk.”  
“Unbelievable. This is why I hate Christmas.” Anne muttered to herself, standing up, throwing her stocking on the sofa and leaving the room, to tend to more important things. Who cares about hanging a stocking over the fireplace? Not at her age anyway, Anne thought bitterly as she ventured out to be of some use. **_  
  
_**


	19. Hot Chocolate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's day 19 of the Christmas Calendar and I cannot believe I've made it this far... but eh, here I am! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Hot Chocolate 
> 
> Ann tries to stop a quarrel with Hot Chocolate.

Finally, after months, things were running smooth enough for Anne to do things of leisure in the day. If you could call it that. Sometimes social calls were more exhausting than actual business. It was a sort of exercise were it not? You were expected to act a certain way, talk of this or that and people were watching you closely to see if they could report anything of you to the other neighbours on the next call they made. Anne thought it must be because they were not allowed to exercise enough, the mind so to speak. If ladies were allowed to study, in depth, any subject of their choosing – the world would be a much brighter place. She could hardly blame them for gossiping – there was nothing else to do! Hell, if Anne was forced to sit idle with a flipping needle all day - she would run her tongue mad with gossip just to have something to cling to.  
On another note, she found it very interesting that ladies always seemed so much more well versed than men – even when bereaved all formal education that men were granted. Sure the odd Molly didn’t have the knowledge to make a deep analysis or whatever, but the common sense – the things they would depict only by hearing scrapes of it – Yes, Anne was certain that if she and her fellow ladies were allowed to further educate themselves, women would be unstoppable – which was probably why men held them back, Anne thought and rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the conversation.  
  


They were having tea with Miss Catherine Rawson and Miss Harriett Parkhill and whereas Anne thought that Catherine was alright and lovely, she couldn’t shake off the feeling of wanting to bang her head bloody against the table every time Harriett opened her mouth. Not to say that Anne wasn’t fair, she had been fair – Harriett had been the one who tried to poison Ann against her, and she had been extremely rude to her and now Anne found she couldn’t stand the woman. But for Ann’s sake, and because Marian was constantly threatening to kick her in the shins, Anne remained civil during the social calls.  
  


Right at the moment Miss Parkhill were speaking of a gentleman she had met at a dance and Marian had been replying attentive as well as Catherine. Ann listened but refrained to nodding every now and then whilst Anne couldn’t care less about some stupid man that had been so ‘gentlemanly’ when all he had done was shown common courtesy. Another problem Anne had with society. A woman could be all that is perfect and lovely but say ‘no’, a simple respectful ‘no’ to a man and be painted as the worst sort of monster, a rotten orange and then never be praised when she was perfect. Whilst a man could be a scoundrel, a beast and then do one decent thing and be called a ‘perfect gentleman’. How far would women go? Anne was certain that if she had been tied to a man; she might have killed him within the first week. She was full of admiration for women who lasted through the belittling, the tyranny and the patronising from their men. It mattered not that they had tied themselves to various important men, no, Anne admired them because they hadn’t killed them. How could one accept such a fate? To be under a man, when one as a woman was much more capable, and as much as he an individual of free will. No men are just a privileged, disgusting bunch of pricks. Whilst she, because she was born a woman, had to work her arse off for the little freedom she might achieve in a world painted by patriarchy.  
  
“He was such a dear!” Harriett giggled, and Anne stopped a gag noise from escaping her, because no – he wasn’t, and she could do so much better – even if she was a real pain.  
“What’s the first thing you notice when a man tries to get in your good graces?” Catherine asked, suddenly looking at Anne who startled at being spoken to, sat up straighter in her seat,  
“The audacity.”  
“Have you never had a gentleman woo you, Miss Lister?” Harriett asked curiously and Anne wanted the ground to open up and swallow her – she did not want to talk about this. Ann hid her mouth behind her hand as she muffled her laughter, and Marian had to bite down her tongue.  
“It has occurred in the past… um, but I haven’t encouraged it. Freedom is far too precious!” Anne was really uncomfortable on this subject and wished they’d change it. For it was walking on far too thin ice. Something could be revealed – unveiled.  
“I thought you were a little bit in love with that boy, what was his name? – Matthew Lucas.” Marian smirked at Anne who almost resolved to hitting her sister. It had been years since she heard that name – she had almost forgotten him. Anne was certainly not in love with him. He was five years older than herself and had read at Cambridge. He would secretly tutor her behind a large oak. He was ‘unnatural’ or to be perfectly candid – he was exactly as God made him, so natural, but to the rest of the world… Anne closed her eyes in pain. Matthew Lucas had moved to Scotland where he had later been hanged after being exposed lying with another man. She had found comfort in him and he in her. They had been rather good friends for those months when he’d be home and teach her everything from history to science. They had had passionate debates, and he had berated society for denying her higher education. He was the one who had suggested she go to Paris and get private tutoring.  
“Good Lord, Marian.” Anne scoffed,  
“What, is it so strange I’d think you were a bit smitten with him? You spent a lot of time together.” Marian defended herself, though she knew, of course she knew her sister had never been in love with a man, she was just teasing her.  
“I preferred it when you thought I was trying to sell Shibden.” Anne replied dryly, and they laughed, everyone except Harriett who just looked miserable in her own conceited nature. Ann noticed, and as she had no want for a real argument to spark, she stood up suddenly, surprising everyone,  
“Hot chocolate!”  
“What about it?” Anne asked, her face all amusement and Ann glanced at her,  
“I think we should have some. It’s cold outside and Christmas is approaching – I’d say it was rather appropriate. Much more festive than tea!”  
“Marvellous!” Marian jumped up as well, clasping her hands together a bit overenthusiastic, sensing that Ann was trying to distract Anne and Miss Parkhill from a contretemps.   
“Anne, why don’t you ask the servants for some?” Ann asked, giving her a look and Anne frowned,  
“What? Why?”  
“Because they are your servants, as you never tire of reminding me.” Marian stared at her, willing her to understand, and Anne looked between her and Ann and nodded, and said slowly,  
“Alright, then. I’ll get you some of that… hot chocolate.”  
Ann sighed relieved, she really didn’t like when people argued, and she didn’t want Miss Parkhill to say more ill-fitting things to her wife. Anne deserved better than to be talked back to in her own home, especially regarding things of love. Now Anne had said, all Christmas, that there wouldn’t be any hot chocolate served because she didn’t like the sweet drink, and besides it was too closely linked to a disappointment ten Christmases ago. Ann and Marian however had hidden in the kitchen, drinking Hot cocoa with each other. Once, they managed to sneak Aunt Anne some, they had almost gotten caught, but Ann distracted Anne, she took her by the hand and pulled her eagerly away from their hide-out to her study and gave her something else to think about, Anne had thought her lips tasted unusually chocolate-like but Ann had denied it, and laughed at her, and then pressed another kiss to her lips to make her forget about her suspicions about chocolate.  
  
Anne did however return shortly, and Mrs. Cordingley hurried in after her with the tray, carrying the cups and the pot filled with steaming hot chocolate. The tall brunette sank down on the sofa next to her wife again, closer than was necessary, but Anne did so with all the usual elegance, making it appear merely friendly. As Cordingley placed the tray on the table, Anne gave her a nod, and waved her hand,  
“Thank you Cordingley!”  
“Ma’am.” Cordingley made a slight curtsey before leaving the room again. Ann offered to pour for everyone. When Anne was the only one left without a cup, Ann glanced at her, raising an eyebrow,  
“Would you like some hot chocolate?”  
“Yes.” Anne said giving Ann one of her famous looks, Ann rolled her eyes at her, handing her a cup before pouring her own. When she sat back down, Ann leaned towards Anne with a small smile,  
“I thought you didn’t drink hot chocolate?”  
“Mm, I drink it in solidarity. There was a time when women were excluded from chocolate drinking… only men were allowed to drink it.”  
“You drink it to make a statement about something that was a thing about a hundred years ago?” Ann asked amused, her lips twitching upwards, and Anne gazed at her with a smirk,  
“Hm… we must always stand up for our rights!”  
“I agree, chocolate drinking is one of the more important rights we need to fight for.”  
“Mock me all you want, Mrs Walker… but you have to start somewhere. In about a hundred years or two, we might be ready to claim our right to vote.” Anne told her, and she couldn’t help but glance down at her wife’s delicious lips, wishing she could kiss her.  
“Right to vote?” Ann smiled,  
“Yes, and then, maybe people like us might marry officially.” Anne’s smile was sad, and Ann touched her leg to hers discreetly as they couldn’t display any intimate affection in a sitting room full of people.  
“Let us drink hot chocolate all day every day then!”  
“Mm.” Anne couldn’t help but grin wide at her wonderful wife. How she wished she could parade her thus to the world. But alas for now they would enjoy drinking hot chocolate – a small victory in this world, and then later, when their guests had left – they might sneak away and share a few warm, chocolate tasting kisses. Yes, Anne thought smiling as she brought the cup to her lips, hot chocolate wasn’t a foul drink after all. It was lovely, sweet and would forever remind her of her Ann. ****  
  



	20. Blankets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 20 of the Christmas Calendar, there are only five days left on this and I feel weirdly sad about that. It has given me a sense of purpose in my disrupted life... it's also the fourth of Advent, so light the last candle, relax and read on! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Blankets
> 
> It's freezing outside and our favourite couple stays inside for a snuggle...

It was freezing temperatures outside, and not even the fires burning in the fireplaces were enough to keep them warm. Every blanket that existed in the house had been dug out, and they were drinking tons of tea merely because it was hot.  
For once, Anne and Ann were alone in the small sitting-room. Ann were seated on the sofa with a tartan shawl wrapped around her, and Anne lay with her head in the blonde’s lap with a blanket draped across her. They were enjoying each other’s company in comfortable silence. Anne were resting her eyes, after lending a hand outside all day, and Ann held her book with one hand, running her other hand through Anne’s hair soothingly. Anne moaned quietly, into Ann’s lap, slowly being lulled into sleep by her calm movements. Ann glanced down at her wife for a few seconds, smiling at her relaxed form, she was beautiful. The blonde couldn’t help herself, she bowed down her head and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, close to her hairline. Anne moved slightly, placing her hand on Ann’s knee, smiling though her eyes were closed,  
“Stop staring at me, Adney!”  
“I wasn’t.” Ann replied, and Anne opened one eye slowly, and her eyes crinkled as she laughed softly,  
“You are!”  
“Well, to be fair, you are quite the distraction, Mrs. Lister.” Ann told her smirking,  
“Mm, really?”  
“Don’t act so innocent, Anne! You are well aware!”  
Anne scoffed, closing her eyes, placing her head on Ann’s lap again,  
“Ah, it’s annoying, how much I love you sometimes.”  
“Is it?” Anne murmured amused, and Ann nodded, stroking her over the hair gently,  
“Immensely. I can’t think of anything else. Let alone get anything done!”  
Anne’s eye opened briefly, and she grinned,  
“It might be due to the fact that you’re reading that boring novel.”  
“You know sometimes a thank you suffices.” Ann told the brunette, placing a chaste kiss over her head, and Anne bit her lip, snorting,  
“Yes, you are right. I’m sorry. I adore you with all my heart and soul.”  
“You do now, do you?” Ann asked clearly amused by her tired wife, Anne nodded into her lap,  
“I love you.”  
Ann kissed her temple sweetly, and ran her fingers through her hair, and Anne purred pleased, and Ann thought about how lucky she was, there in-front of the warm fire, with her wife cuddled up in her lap. But just as she were about to convince Anne to kiss her properly, Marian came inside the room, and Ann sat up straighter, pushing at Anne who sat up quickly, a bit delirious. Before any of them had time to make excuses or say anything, Marian squeezed in between them, pulling the blanket over her legs as well.  
“Ah, warmth!”  
“What in God’s name… what the he… Marian what on earth?” Anne eyed her sister confused, and Marian turned to her,  
“What? It’s freezing, and all blankets are already occupied.”  
“So, you sat yourself between us?”  
“Well, we are all friends, aren’t we?”  
“Friends…” Anne muttered, sharing a look with her wife, making her laugh.  
“Some with certain benefits.” Ann laughed, and Marian shuddered,  
“Yes, which I will kindly decline.”  
“But you will share a blanket with us?”  
“I’m cold, Anne – I cannot feel my toes!” Marian cried frustrated, and Anne rolled her eyes,  
“We need to get more blankets.”  
“It hasn’t been this cold since 1807.” Marian complained, trying to warm herself up,  
“Mm, yes I remember, I was at school, we had to wear hundreds of layers to be even remotely warm. I didn’t suffer as much as Eliza though.” Anne commented, and Ann’s eyes darted to her wife,  
“Who?”  
Anne seemed to realise her slip, and cleared her throat, feeling all the awkwardness, but Marian budged in again,  
“Anne’s schoolfellow, they used to write each other all the time during the holidays.”  
“Not all the time…” Anne said quickly, her cheeks burning under Ann’s inquisitive stare.  
“What? Once there were five letters in less than a week.” Marian stated, and Anne glared at her sister,  
“Really? I don’t remember that.”  
“Wha…” Marian trailed off, looking between her sister and Ann and her mouth opened, forming an ‘o’, and Anne shook her head at her, dragging her hand over her face.  
“You know, I need to take care of a few things.” Anne declared standing up, throwing the blanket to Marian and leaving the room.  
  
Ann followed her to her study shortly after. Anne was stood with her back to her, glancing out the window. The blonde crept nearer, putting her arms around her from behind, resting her chin against Anne’s shoulder, and she placed her hands over Ann’s.  
“Are you alright?”  
“I just… need a moment.” Anne whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek. Ann kissed her exposed neck gently,  
“Do you want me to leave?”  
“No.” Anne murmured, holding her hands tighter to her.  
“Was she your first? - Eliza?”  
“She was the first girl I fancied myself in love with. Yes.” Anne admitted, another tear following the last one, Ann frowned sweetly,  
“What happened?”  
“We were found out, sort of. I was expelled and she stayed on. We weren’t allowed to keep in touch. From what I heard, she told, or someone found out about me and they locked her away. Something like that – I don’t know.” Anne told her with a heavy heart, and Ann turned her around, taking her face in her hands softly,  
“It isn’t your fault, Anne, don’t blame yourself.”  
“How can I not? I am the reason she was, is probably still, locked up there.”  
“No. She was complicit in it, and it’s none of your faults, that… that the ‘blanket’ was swept away and revealed what was underneath it.” Ann tried to reassure Anne, and the brunette smiled down at her sadly,  
“I can’t help it.”  
“I know and I don’t know what to say except that it isn’t your fault. _They_ locked her away, you didn’t.” Ann told her softly, putting her arms around her, embracing her to herself, and Anne held on to her tightly.  
“You are so brave for being with me – I don’t think I ever told you.”  
“I would rather die than live a life without you.” Ann murmured into her neck, and Anne squeezed her to her, kissing her cheek, and Ann could feel that her cheeks were coated with tears.  
“I love you, Ann! Always. I would never let anything happen to you!” Anne told her with a brittle voice, and Ann felt warmth soar through her,  
“I love you too!” Ann mumbled and Anne pulled back and kissed her passionately, with an urgency that managed to surprise Ann – and suddenly all thoughts about blankets and the cold disappeared as her blood grew warmer with every kiss.  
“Oh, for the…close the doors!” Marian cried annoyed as she passed, wrapped in blankets, shutting the door with her foot, and the pair of them broke apart and then began laughing hysterically with each other, kissing all the while. 


	21. Ornaments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 21!! 
> 
> A bit of a disclaimer:  
> I feel I do need to explain that Anne Lister did in fact keep such 'ornaments'. I did not make that up... and no I do not have such ornaments. I do not blame people that do. Anyway... Enjoy! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Ornaments
> 
> Ann looks everywhere for the Christmas ornaments...

Ann had decided to take matters into her own hands, since Anne was hardly at home and hadn’t really been for the past few weeks, as business brought her out of the house from morning to night. And because Christmas drew nearer, and they needed to decorate the halls with ornaments. Well, they didn’t have to, but Ann wanted to and if she didn’t do it herself, it wouldn’t be done at all. Marian seemed to think it was a terrible idea that would only lead to ‘Caligula’ having one of her famous meltdowns about how it was her house and Ann thought her a tad overdramatic and merely shrugged her shoulder at that, who didn’t like Christmas decorations? – Surely her wife enjoyed it, even if she wasn’t bursting with excitement for it.  
Ann had walked around the house trying to find old ornaments and been less than successful, most of the ones she had found were old and torn – it seemed Shibden hadn’t been decorated for quite some time. Nevertheless, Ann was there to bring the Christmas cheer and she wouldn’t do without decorations. That was half the fun of Christmas.  
  
Though when Ann had been searching for quite a while she gave up and went into the sitting room where Marian sat with her embroidery,  
“Do you know where the Christmas decorations are, Marian?” Ann asked her, and she raised an eyebrow before shaking her head, pulling her thread through her hoop – not looking up,  
“No, and to be frank, I haven’t seen them for years.”  
“Does anyone know where they are?” Ann tapped her foot gently - beginning to grow impatient.  
“Eh, probably not. I’m not sure, but I wouldn’t put it past her, my sister, that she used them as firewood at some point.” Marian shrugged a shoulder, not particularly upset but Ann just gasped,  
“No! Did she really?!”  
“There was a big bonfire anyway, but it might have been something else burning. You know, you could ask her yourself.” Marian told Ann but they immediately grimaced at each other, asking Anne about it wouldn’t get them anywhere – even if she knew, she probably wouldn’t tell them anyhow. The room became silent, but for the sounds coming from the fire as Ann thought hard about where they could possibly be. She tapped her chin with her hand willing an idea to appear.  
“Do you think she has hidden them in her study?” Ann asked suddenly and Marian paused her hand mid-air, frowning - thoughtful for a second,  
“She might’ve, she has got lots of rubbish in there.”  
“Brilliant.”  
“I’m sorry to burst your bubble, Ann, but I think she locks the door when she heads out.” Marian stated and Ann dragged her hand over her face,  
“You’re right… where’s the key though?”  
“There might be a spare key, but she always has the actual key on her person.” Marian responded, and Ann bowed her head in acknowledgement, still pondering,  
“That she does.”  
“Oh, it’s always in the pocket, on her skirt.” Ann’s face lit up, and Marian didn’t know quite how to react to that, she didn’t know where Ann was going in her mind.  
“I might steal it.”  
“Steal? Why I didn’t think you had it in you!” Marian cheered, she loved that she finally had someone who would gang up on Anne with her sometimes.  
“Mm, but I must get near her, and she mustn’t suspect anything.”  
“I could start an argument to distract her, and you will embrace her and sneak your hand into her pocket.” Marian remarked, and Ann smiled at her,  
“One small query though, is Anne here? She was out on the grounds before.”  
“I’m not…” Marian’s answer was cut short as Anne appeared in the doorway, wearing her coat and the hat was placed on her head,  
“I’m off to sort a few things out down in Halifax.”  
Marian and Ann glanced at each other and Ann stood up,  
“Wait!”  
Anne turned around immediately eying her with wonder, looking between her and Marian to try and discern what was the matter.  
“I haven’t seen you all day.” Ann hesitated, it wasn’t a good enough reason, was it? But Anne eyed her tenderly, speaking softly,  
“I will be back as soon as I can. We can talk then.”  
“Eh…” Ann felt awkward as she approached her wife, Anne gave her concerned look,  
“Hm? I will see you at dinner.”  
Anne tried to leave but Ann leapt forwards, clasping her arms around Anne, managing to stun the woman. Marian almost laughed at Anne’s expression but kept a straight face, muttering,  
“Yeah right.”  
“What?” Anne eyed Marian annoyed, whilst Ann still held her in a tight embrace,  
“You are never on time.” Marian snapped, with a discreet eye on Ann whose hand begun searching for the opening in the skirt.  
“That’s outrageous, Marian, I am almost never late!” Anne fumed, and Marian rolled her eyes only to irritate her sister,  
“Considering your obsession with looking at your damn watch all the time, it is unbelievable that you fail such a simple task as being on time for dinner. It’s rude and ill-mannered.”  
Ann could feel Anne’s body tense as she grew angrier with her sister, and she froze in her movement for a second, though she felt the keys at her fingertips.  
“You belong to the landed gentry, start acting like it!” Marian barked, and Anne saw red, allowing Ann to quickly snatch the keys from the pocket without Anne realising. Ann wondered for a second, after she had managed to get the keys, at Anne not saying anything about the fact that Ann had been hugging her for a good-few-minutes but decided to leave it at that – as she didn’t want her to get suspicious. Marian saw the keys in the blonde’s hand and before Anne could continue to rant, Marian raised a hand,  
“You are right, of course you are, Anne. I’m sorry I ever questioned you and your manners.”  
Anne was perplexed at Marian’s sudden submission and Ann let go off her,  
“I’ll see you at dinner. Don’t be late.”  
“Eh…”  
“Go on, you’ll be late!” Ann urged her wife, who composed herself and nodded,  
“Um, yes, I’ll be home for dinner.”  
Anne left them and as they heard the door slam shut, Ann held up the keys triumphantly,  
“We make a great team.” Marian laughed, and Ann nodded,  
“That we do. She will be furious when she realises they’re gone though, and that we tricked her.”  
“That’s what makes it so enjoyable.” Marian sang, and Ann couldn’t help but laugh with her.  
  
Ann left Marian in the sitting room, they decided it was for the best, if Anne did come home to find them in there. As Marian had argued, ‘Anne would never hurt you, but I might not say the same for myself’. It was a bit exciting, Ann thought as she lingered outside for a moment, holding the key in her hand, heart beating hard in her chest. This wasn’t wrong of her, was it? – Anne wouldn’t be too upset? Ann chewed her bottom lip; she didn’t want to upset her wife. She just wanted to find the Christmas decorations, and surely that was fine? This wasn’t considered prying… and besides they had promised to share everything with each other, no, this was fine. Ann exhaled and put the key in and unlocked the lock before turning the doorknob, opening the door to reveal Anne’s study. With careful steps she moved inside, leaving the door slightly ajar to be able to hear if anyone came up the stairs.  
Ann really loved this room, it was full of Anne’s things, and it smelled of her, it was comforting to come in here, at least normally. Right now, Ann was a bit wary.  
She searched around the room, to find any clues of where they might be stored away, Ann opened a chest, but it was only filled with journals. Temptation to open one up and read it filled Ann for a split second before she reprimanded herself, she would never intrude on Anne’s private scribbles and thoughts. With a furrowed brow, Ann continued investigating the room, and her eye found a cabinet in the corner. She went over to have a look inside, but it refused to open as it was locked, and she tried one of the other keys on the keyholder she had stolen. The lock clicked and Ann grinned; she was going to find the Christmas decorations she was certain of it. She pushed the doors open, and peered inside, and her eyes found a neat line of ornaments hanging on the inside of the cabinet. Ann was delighted to see it, surely Anne couldn’t loathe Christmas if she had her ornaments hanging organised and locked away safely? Kneeling down to have a better look at them, she reached her hand in to take one of them out. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she regarded the odd-looking ornament. It had a glass front and, Ann squinted her eyes, decorative curled thread placed inside? Where on earth, did they hang these?  
“OH Christ, Ann, no!”  
Ann jumped five feet in the air, dropping the ornament she held, luckily it didn’t break. Her cheeks were burning bright red as Anne came into the room. But Anne did look equally red in the face and Ann thought that it must be from anger. She felt thoroughly ashamed of herself. She shouldn’t have stolen the keys, and she shouldn’t have gone through Anne’s stuff.  
“I’m sorry.” Ann trembled, barely able to look into her wife’s upset eyes, handing her the keys back.  
“God…” Anne sank onto her knees by the cabinet, picking the ornament up, placing it inside before closing the doors and locking it again.  
“Anne, I didn’t mean to pry, I was just looking for… It’s really no excuse, I shouldn’t have done it.” Ann rambled, and Anne stood up from the floor, cheeks still tinted red,  
“I don’t know what to say. If you want something, tell me! I am not keeping… I, I have certain things in here that I’d rather no one found. Old memorabilia that I for sentimental reasons have kept.”  
“Are you cross with me?” Ann asked, and Anne sighed,  
“You didn’t… no, it’s fine.”  
“I won’t do it again. I trust you to not keep anything important from me.” Ann told her and Anne hummed in reply, before straightening herself up,  
“What were you looking for?”  
“Um, Christmas decorations.” Ann revealed, fearing her reaction but Anne merely smiled,  
“Why did you think it was in here?”  
“I looked everywhere else. But all I found in here was those ornaments in there. Wherever did you find those? They looked a bit odd.” Ann said and the colour rose in Anne’s cheeks again, and Ann realised she was mortified – not angry. Ann pondered why that could be, but then Anne opened her mouth,  
“They aren’t ornaments.”  
“What are they?” Ann inquired, but when she saw how uncomfortable and embarrassed that question made Anne, she almost regretted asking it.  
“Um… they are hair medallions.” Anne admitted unwillingly and Ann frowned,  
“It didn’t look like locks of hair.”  
Anne’s face turned into a grimace and she covered her face with her hands, and it dawned upon Ann what they were, and her face became beet red,  
“OH, ah, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have…”  
Anne groaned into her hands, and Ann felt so badly for her, she took her hands and removed them from her face gently,  
“You don’t have to be ashamed, Anne. I don’t think or feel any different about you.”  
“It’s a bit odd though, isn’t it?” Anne dared to look at her and Ann laughed,  
“That it may be, but… it’s fine. I’m just glad you came back to stop me. Only think if I had hung them about the house.”  
Anne couldn’t help but laugh loudly at that thought, and she kissed Ann sweetly,  
“Let’s thank the Lord you didn’t.”  
“I have one question though.”  
“Mm?” Anne raised an eyebrow,  
“Why didn’t you ask me?”  
“Eh, because I didn’t want to scare you away.”  
“Is it weird if I am a bit insulted?” Ann giggled and Anne grabbed her chin and pulled her in for a rough kiss, chuckling all the while.  
“I’ll get those Christmas decorations down for you.”  
“And I’ll get cracking on completing your weird collection of… ‘ornaments’.” Ann winked and they laughed merrily together and eventually Ann got hold of the Christmas decorations and could decorate the hall to her hearts content. 


	22. Holiday Hiccup

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 22 of the Christmas Calendar, and it's a longer one-shot which is... I don't know, I'm uncertain if I like this or not. It was inspired by a story on here, but also by a P&P fanfiction I wrote years ago when I tried to convince my lesbian arse that I was straight... It's a bit weird... not my favourite of the one-shots I've written but I still think it might sit well with some people =) 
> 
> Prompt: Holiday Hiccup
> 
> Ann arrives back home at Shibden without Anne...

Tears had been rolling down her cheeks all the way back home, her forehead rested against the window of the carriage and her hands were clutched together hard. She had stayed two days, but Mariana had eventually got on her last nerve. And it hurt, the words she had spoken hurt, but not so much as the fact that Anne hadn’t commiserated on her behalf, she had just sat there and let it happen. Ann reckoned it had to do with not wanting to fall out with her old friend but still, she should’ve said something that would’ve made Ann feel less of a nuisance and a freak.  
Ann took deep calming breaths when they stopped in front of the house, before she was handed out by William, and she walked slowly to the door and was let in by Joseph who had heard her coming,  
“Miss Walker, are you all right?” Mrs Cordingley asked popping her head out of the kitchen,  
“Only we did not expect you back so soon. Is Miss Lister not with you?”  
Ann forced a smile, but it looked more like a grimace,  
“I am well, and sorry to be here earlier than expected, but I had to leave, go back home, I…” she stopped herself she should not be blurting her heart out at poor Mrs. Cordingley.  
“I see, do you need any help changing your attire? Or do you need anything else Miss?”  
“Um… I would like to get changed and have a bath.” she answered, and Mrs. Cordingley nodded,  
“We will ready a bath for you immediately, Miss Walker!”  
“Excellent, thank you very much.” Ann said politely and went up the stairs, slowly, scolding herself; who changes their attire before a bath? – Surely, they must all laugh behind her back. Stupid little Miss Walker who can’t speak eloquently under any form of pressure, not even to the servants. Memories from yester-evening flashed before her eyes and she blinked away the tears that burned behind them.  
She didn’t bump into anyone on her way up, wondering where they had all gone. But decided she wouldn’t go look; she had no want to talk to anyone at present. As she passed Anne’s study, she was filled with an impetuous want to enter and burn all her stupid fucking journals – burn her dumb treasure chests and make a proper mess. Obviously, she wouldn’t, never, but the thought still lingered, and she wondered what she, Anne, would’ve done if she came home to find all things burnt. Ann felt a twinge in her heart, she could never do that to Anne. It was just an angry unjust thought that deserved little acknowledgement.   
  
The bath was well received, and Ann sunk into the water and closed her tired, sore eyes, after being left alone in the room. The water relaxed her, and she scrubbed herself with the soap, and she sank deeper into the water, drenching her hair, sighing loudly, what if it were true? She was just a stand-in, the cheap, no-good actress that only took on the role because the real star couldn’t make it to the show. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she stopped a sob from escaping though her chest clenched tightly – was it true? – After all, here she was, all alone, left to her own means when something else was offered to Anne.   
All of a sudden, she felt something on her neck, and she screamed startled,   
“Oh Christ!”  
“Not quite, it’s Marian.” She heard Marian’s warm voice behind her.  
“Oh… hi.” Ann blushed because she had yelled and then became very aware of how little she was wearing and even though she was well under the water, it still made her cheeks grow warm with embarrassment,  
“Do you need any help?” Marian offered kindly,  
“W-Would you hand me my robe?” Ann asked nervous, and she nodded and fetched the robe and gave it to her, turning around to give her privacy as she stood in the tub and quickly wrapped herself in the robe, before stepping out on the oak boards.  
“I did not expect you to be at home.” Marian admitted as Ann sat down to braid her blonde hair,  
“I did not think you at home either or I would’ve announced my being here.” She answered and Ann cursed her hoarse voice, because Marian eyed her more intently,  
“Have you been crying?” she asked carefully when she noticed the redness of her eyes.  
“It is really nothing.” Ann brushed it off and smiled, though it was more of a grimace.  
“Are you sure? I do not mean to pry, but might it have something to do with the fact that you came back home without my sister?” Marian frowned leaning towards her to show her sympathy.  
“Well… it’s… complicated.” Ann managed to croak, as she felt tears burn behind her eyelids again – feeling rather pathetic.  
“What did Anne do this time?” Marian asked, sounding so overly done with her sister that it was almost comical, and Ann would’ve laughed if she hadn’t felt so depressed.  
“I think I just overreacted… I just felt so out of place, and like such a nuisance.” Ann mumbled, afraid that Marian might agree that she was.  
“But it hurt you Ann, and I suspect it weren’t an overreaction. Mariana and Anne… well they have known each other for twenty years, more than. And Mariana is a right down… well she can be quite mean and difficult. What happened?” Marian said, taking hold of Ann’s cold hand, trying to make her feel better, gazing at her with a look of almost sisterly affection.   
“It was more like a series of things…” Ann began quietly,  
“Did she constantly have a go at you?” Marian wondered, and Ann nodded, her eyelashes wet.  
“Yes, um, she went on about things of the past, and how I wouldn’t understand, and then said something about me being mentally unwell, and she seemed to have been under the impression that I was stupid, which she more or less said. Then she implied that I must make such a disappointment of a companion for Anne and…” Ann trailed off, she was crying now, hot tears coated her cheeks and Marian carefully stroke her back. The door opened to reveal Aunt Anne, who was shocked and troubled at the sight of Ann crying on the chair.  
“Dear child, what happened!? Where’s Anne?”  
“ ** _Anne_** has upset Miss Walker, our Ann, so much so that she felt the need to leave.” Marian revealed to her aunt who gasped,  
“Ah! No. I told her, I told her it would be a bad idea to go there – and just before Christmas too.”  
“It’s fine. No really. It’s my fault, and I should leave. Yes, I will have my things packed and move back to Crow Nest. It’s the… I don’t want to disrupt anything…um, I will leave.” Ann’s voice barely carried the words, but nevertheless she got them out and both Marian and Aunt Anne looked absolutely stunned and they both shook their heads decisively,  
“You cannot possibly mean that you will leave Shibden?” Aunt Anne inquired slowly, softly, reaching out for the other hand of the young woman.  
“Oh, but that is just what I intend to do, I hate her! - I never want to see her again.” Ann said as firmly as she could, but the tears came anew anyway, because she could never hate Anne not even when she wanted too, not even in the slightest.  
“Now Ann Walker, where have all your sense gone?” Aunt Anne eyed her sharply,  
“Ann, you are the brightest person in this room, and at times even the most sensible, but at this moment I must ask you to see sense, because this is ridiculous! - Mariana is an old, young… ah she’s a hag, and you shall think no more of her misused words and nonsense. Anne couldn’t have possibly agreed to any of her assumptions. She adores you!”  
“She did…” Ann mumbled, looking down at her feet unable to meet their eyes.   
“What?!” Aunt Anne asked shocked, when she saw her niece, she would give her the beratement of the century. How could anyone hurt such a sweet thing as Ann Walker?  
“Well, she implied it.”  
“What on earth did our Anne say?” Aunt Anne furrowed her brows, looking with great sympathy at the devastated woman on the chair.  
“It was more that she said nothing at all. She just let her say all those things and didn’t really dispute it, which must mean that she thinks them too. And I’m not going to force her to keep me here if I am so dull, stupid and mentally…, if I’m somehow holding her back.” Ann said her voice brittle and Aunt Anne frowned compassionately, kissing her knuckles, in a way that reminded Ann of her deceased mother,   
“You are not dull, or stupid or… mentally disturbed. You are a wonderful young woman with many talents. Holding our Anne back!? I’d like to see anyone try. He, but I don’t think you are either. I haven’t seen our Anne as happy and content as she’s been whilst you have lived with us ever before.”  
“But she hates me and repulses me now.”  
“Has she told you so?” Marian asked, her voice upset, her sister was not about to get away with hurting Ann Walker, she had become so fond of the woman and really saw her as more of a sister than a friend.  
“Well not in words. But she’s not here, right?”  
“Miss Walker, have you ever drawn a battle plan?” Aunt Anne asked her suddenly, with a cheeky smile,  
“Wha… we, I… of course not.” Ann stuttered confused, finally looking up again.  
“A plan of revenge so to speak.” Marian explained her aunt’s meaning,  
“I might have as a child.” Ann admitted, remembering pranks she’d do with her brother to their sister and parents.  
“What say you about drawing one up and teaching ‘ _Her majesty_ ’ a lesson?” Marian asked grinning.  
“Oh, do go on Miss Walker – it’ll be hilarious!” Aunt Anne said excitedly, clapping her hands together.  
“It might be something I’d enjoy doing.” Ann smiled, her tears finally subsiding, much to the delight of the other women.  
“Yes, this is going to be… great. And oh, before I forget, just so you know, you aren’t just dear to Anne, you are dear to all of us, so leaving isn’t an option. Families stick together!” Marian winked and Ann laughed though she all but cried again – touched by her words.  
“Let’s go downstairs, take tea and draw our battle plan.” Aunt Anne decided, and Ann smiled, letting the other women go ahead whilst she called on her lady’s maid to get dressed properly before going downstairs.  
  
Dinner the next evening was served at six o’clock on the dot, and they were already sitting down when Anne arrived back home.  
“The roads were a terror with all the snow coming down…” Anne brushed the snow off from herself, looking to give her coat and hat to Joseph but he was nowhere to be seen so she hung it over the reeling, before facing her family again, walking into the dining room,  
“Already eating? I thought you would wait for me… I told you I would be back in time for dinner.”  
Her family said nothing, didn’t even acknowledge her arrival. Not even her aunt who usually were thrilled to see her again, said anything, they just continued to eat. Anne sat down a little bewildered but decided to say naught about it. At least Marian hadn’t remarked on all the snow and mud she had dragged into the house.  
Not one of their servants in the room fetched her a plate, and when she requested it, it was as if she spoke to a wall. Aunt Anne, Marian and Ann talked with each other as if she was not there, whilst her father sat dozing in his chair. And when they asked for more bread to the table, they were immediately obliged and was served most eagerly. Anne looked between them all, before sighing, and getting her plate by herself.  
“Why are you all giving me the silent treatment?” Anne asked as she sat down again but was once again not heeded at all. Not even an eyelid batted her way.  
“I demand to be listened to in my own house! This is ridiculous. Speak to me- **now**!” Anne was losing her temper, her knuckles turning white as she clutched her knife, but nothing. Marian whispered something to Ann which made her laugh and when Anne asked what was so funny, they didn’t pay her any attention.  
“It is awful quiet today isn’t it?” Marian mused, and Aunt Anne looked at her,  
“I suppose it is. It is not often we have such a quiet and nice table. I wonder why that is…”  
“Oh you are hilarious… I know you are all just pretending I’m not here.” Anne barked, but again – no reaction.  
“We never used to have such a lovely meal the days prior to Christmas, or maybe we did. I don’t remember having such a nice time for years.” Ann told them, and Aunt Anne gave a joyful cry,  
“Believe you me, Ann, you have put a spark to this whole household. I cannot remember myself when we last had such a nice table.”  
“Will you pass me the salt?” Anne asked Ann but was given no answer or indication that she had been heard- that was the last straw for Anne, she stood up and threw her napkin on the table infuriated.  
“That’s it. I’m off.” She stalked off from the table, but nobody looked after her or said a thing, they just continued talking like she hadn’t just caused a scene.  
  
Anne met Mrs Cordingley in the hallway, and she did not hesitate to ask her about it, but she just stared at her with so cold a gaze that she was taken aback, and was left confused in the halls, where she was also sure Hemingway had thrown her dirty looks behind her back.  
Anne shrugged this feeling off, refused to take part in any Christmas games in the sitting room – not that anyone asked her, talked to her or pretended to see her. But when preparing for bed that evening, calling for Eugénie, this all came back when she very harshly helped her, saying not a word, and looking as revolted as one could be by someone. Anne tried to make Eugénie talk or berate her when she ‘accidently’ hurt her skull whilst pulling out the hairpins. But the woman said not a word, didn’t look her in the eye, only did her job very quickly, before getting out of the way and out of sight again.  
  
When Ann did not come to bed for the night Anne went looking for her. Thinking that perhaps she would talk to her – tell her what the hell was going on with everyone.   
She found her in the sitting room by the dying fire, sketching in her sketchpad, looking very beautiful in the dim light with her hair hanging over her shoulder in a braid.  
Anne stood for a second, feeling that her mouth had gone dry, touching her lips with her hand in a nervous tic,  
“Ann.” She called, but Ann didn’t reply, she merely sketched a little harsher, frowning down at the paper to concentrate on it and block Anne out.  
“What’s wrong? What?! Ann!” Anne yelled, annoyed to lengths by everyone’s silence, Ann flinched a little at her yell, and Anne felt a tug at her heart – not the reaction she wanted that to elicit.  
“Is something wrong?” Anne tried softer, reeling in her emotions, but was still granted no answer,  
“Did someone do something?”  
No reply.  
“Did I do something?” Anne asked at last and she could see Ann’s hand grip tighter around the pen as her blue eyes finally raised from the paper to meet hers, and they were sparking with anger and her expression was thunderous,  
“Did I do something?” Ann mimicked in a mocking tone, before returning to her sketch, angrily marking the paper. Anne’s first thought was to be mad, but then she remembered what a total arse she had been and all because she didn’t want to fall out with an old friend. She shouldn’t have stayed. She should’ve left immediately – run after her, but she didn’t because she had been blinded by her anger and pride. Anne knew how much Ann disliked being on her own – sleeping alone, and in the light of the fire she saw the dark circles more prominent under the blonde’s eyes. Anne was a horrible human being. Why on earth had she stayed? She hadn’t been indiscreet with Mariana – not ever again. But why had she stayed when the most important person in the world had ran away, and why hadn’t she called Mariana out whilst Ann still could hear it. Because she had. They had argued all evening, and the next morning. Anne had yelled and berated Mariana for everything she had said and implied.  
Recalling all which she had done, she felt worse than ever,  
“Adney… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let her talk to you that way. I, I should have come after immediately, but I was hurt – my ego was hurt. I love you with all my heart, all my being. And regarding Mary I do agree with you, I am scared, was. Because she is, in a way all I have left from the time when Sam still… and she is one of the only friends I have left from that time, who knew me then, and who I went to school with, and I didn’t want to fall out with her. But I am thoroughly ashamed of how I acted; it doesn’t excuse my behaviour but that is my explanation. I did tell her that if she wants to have any sort of relation, she had to accept you and if I ever heard an ill word about you again, I would put an end to our friendship.” Anne told her, rambling, fidgeting, starting to fear that it was too late – that Ann already resented her too much to forgive her folly and stupidity.  
Ann looked at her reluctantly, at last deciding to say something;  
“I was hurt. You hurt me.”  
and Anne nodded, daring to come closer,  
“I understand that Adney, I do, and I know that an apology might not make up for it, but I will try and make you see, that I really did not mean it! I love you, only you. Please don’t leave me! I beg you.”  
By the end of that sentence, Anne had to fight back a sob, afraid she was losing everything she had worked so hard for, longed for all her life because of her own stupidity.  
“I do not know what to say, Anne. I,” Ann said her voice tired, and Anne hurried to her, kneeling in front of her, touching her cheek with her hand, tears rolling down her face,  
“You don’t have to say anything, I’m sorry. I’m all at fault. I will try to make it better. I will be better!”  
Anne couldn’t contain her sobs any longer, and she buried her face on Ann’s knees. Unable to be so cruel as to punish Anne more than she deserved, Ann ran her fingers through her dark hair, down her neck to comfort her, as Anne bit the fabric that covered her thighs to muffle her sobs,   
“Hush, Pony, I won’t leave you. I was just… It upset me! But I could never stop loving you. Not even when you are a complete and utter idiot! Because when worse comes to worse – you are still my idiot, and I love you in spite of it.” Ann told her, and Anne raised her head, looking a complete mess, and Ann couldn’t help but smile at her,  
“Idiot.” She mumbled before kissing Anne on the lips chastely,  
“You bloody idiot!” Ann added, before kissing Anne again, hard and slowly.  
“I deserved that.” Anne mumbled, her voice hoarse from her crying and Ann bit her lip chuckling,  
“Yes, my insults not the kisses.”  
“Mm.” Anne smiled through her tears, kissing Ann fiercely,  
“I’m so sorry. So sorry. I will never forgive myself for not running after you. God, Ann, I… If I ever do something this stupid again – hit me – shoot me!”  
“I did think about burning your study to the ground for a moment there.” Ann admitted sheepishly,  
“You should’ve – it would’ve been nothing short of what I deserved. I could never live with myself if you left.”  
“Oh, I forgive you, Anne. But you better make up for it!” Ann smirked and Anne kissed her again fondly, before giving her a rouge smile,  
“I can think of one or two things that might do it.”  
Ann touched her arm affectionately but then Anne frowned, suddenly, remembering,   
“Though I feel I need to ask, have you turned everyone in this household against me?”  
And Ann smiled, so clearly pleased with herself, that Anne’s heart might have just melted at the sight of it – God she loved this woman to pieces.  
“I did.”  
“Well, well, well, Mrs Walker – I didn’t think you had it in you to be so cunning.” Anne smirked and Ann kissed her eyebrow,  
“You clearly don’t know me that well then… also Marian and Aunt Anne helped after they found out.”  
“Oh, I do not doubt Marian jumped at the chance – but my aunt, bless her – she adores you! There are few people she would betray me for.” Anne took her hand and ran her thumb over her knuckles in small soothing movements. Anne placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, and then with a cheeky smile she mumbled;  
“You should be in bed, Adney, you look absolutely exhausted.”  
“Ha ha, very clever, _dearest_. I am still a little mad at you! - I’m staying put.” Ann crossed her arms and legs, glancing at Anne with a satisfied smile resting upon her lips, but Anne growled under her breath,  
“I am not leaving you here – I told you I wouldn’t leave you again!”  
“Bad luck, I told you that I wasn’t moving!”  
“All right, Walker – if that’s the deal.” Anne stood up and Ann thought she had won, but gave a startled cry when Anne mustered all her strength and threw Ann over her shoulder, toppling but little by the sudden weight.  
“Put me down! ANNE!” Ann screamed, but Anne paid her no heed but began walking up the stairs, slowly as to not fall. They bumped into Mrs. Cordingley whose mouth fell to the floor,  
“Cordingley.” Anne greeted seriously with a nod,   
“Ma’am?!”  
“Hi.” Ann muttered embarrassed as Anne walked past her.  
Anne didn’t put the kicking and screaming Ann down until they were inside Anne’s bedroom. Anne placed her down on the bed, wearing a goofy grin before leaning down over Ann on the bed, kissing her frown away.  
“Forgive me?”  
“Only if you promise to warn me before forcing me with you to visit one of your long lines of lovers again.” Ann muttered and Anne gasped at the audacity before kissing her fondly,  
“I promise.”  
“How many were they again? Thirty?”  
“Ah, you know that it’s not thirty. It’s ten if you… or wait, no it might be fourteen… I think?” Anne paused to think and gave a nod,  
“Yes, about fourteen.”  
“Still more than me.” Ann quirked her eyebrow and Anne leant on her elbows over Ann,  
“Well, we cannot all be as perfect as you are darling.”  
“Who were they?”  
“Why must you know?” Anne asked troubled and went to lean in for a kiss which was refused, and Anne felt stumped.  
“Because I worry. I worry I’m nothing in comparison – that I’m a poor second choice or in this case approximately your fifteenth choice.”  
“You are wonderful, Ann -I love you! I haven’t told anyone that in years, and I’ve never meant it as I do now.” Anne argued softly and Ann stroke her cheek with her hand,  
“Tell me, please! I just want to know so I can put it at rest.”  
“Fine and only because I cannot deny you anything… “Anne sighed and then rolled away and sat up on bed,  
“No, I want you to tell me because we should have no secrets between us. Because we are one before God – not because you can’t deny me anything.” Ann told her stubbornly and Anne’s features softened, Ann was truly godsend,  
“Good, yes – a much better reason. Oh, fine here it goes… there was this woman I don’t know the real name of, Eliza, Tib, Mariana, Anne, Margaret, Francis, Mrs. Barlow, Mrs. Jones… eh – I seriously, Ann I can’t think on my feet – I’ll look into it for you.”  
“But were they…” Ann swallowed her question but decided against it and opened her mouth again,  
“Were you close like we are?”  
“Um, eh, no and yes. I guess Eliza and Mariana were the closest. But whereas I explored with Eliza, Mariana... After her I… I only… Never… yes. Um, I don’t feel comfortable talking about… it’s painful to me.” Anne trailed off and seemed to distance herself further from Ann, but the blonde wouldn’t let her,  
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that. But I love you – everything about you, all of you. Trust me – there is no one like you – just thinking about you sends me... I’d be gentle, and you could show me what you like. Because I want to, so badly, love you – all of you if only you’d let me, Anne!” Ann told her, cupping her cheek with her hand and she stroke away a lone tear that ran across the cheekbone, and then she placed a gentle, sweet kiss on the brunette’s full lips. Anne closed her eyes and sank into the kiss, fear filling her. She hadn’t given herself completely in years and never like this – never this way, not to someone that meant so much to her.  
“Don’t be frightened.” Ann murmured, against her lips,  
“If I say stop – you must stop!” Anne whispered and the young woman nodded, and kissed her cheek softly,  
“I would never do anything that would be unpleasant to you!”  
Anne let out a shaky breath and let Ann continue pressing kisses to her lips, down her throat and over her heaving chest – it felt so frightening but at the same time so good. Surely it had never been this way with Mariana? Nor Eliza? Ann was gentle, and she didn’t laugh – she actually seemed aroused by Anne’s body, wanting to devour it. Anne knew she could work magic with her fingers, with her lips, with her tongue – she could inspire throes of passion, but she never thought anyone could look at her body only and want more. But Ann did. She loved her fully and utterly, and it made her heart swell in her chest – how had she deserved this woman? - And how had she almost thrown that away by staying?  
  


Anne never told her to stop. Her fear forgotten with her nightgown on the floor.  
And all was well, well not all because Aunt Anne and Marian had planned a surprise for Anne at breakfast, after all they did not know that Anne and Ann had reconciled. 


	23. Last Minute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 23! How does time pass by so slowly and yet so quickly!? Thanks to everyone who has read this far! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Last Minute
> 
> Anne hasn't bought Ann any Christmas gifts...

Anne was staring at Marian with an eyebrow raised, frowning – she couldn’t quite comprehend why the woman was so upset with her. She didn’t know why Marian stood berating her with hands on her hips and her nostrils flaring, Anne had done nothing at all.   
“Why are you looking at me like that, Marian?” Anne asked a bit annoyed with her sister, she had things to do – work to complete and it wasn’t going to get done if Marian towered over her desk all day.   
“What do you mean you haven’t bought her anything?” Marian growled at her sister and Anne realised what Marian was on about,   
“Oh it’s about that!”   
“Yes, it’s about that. It’s insensitive!” Marian ranted on and Anne sighed,   
“It’s really not. I don’t do Christmas. I don’t enjoy it and Ann knows that. She won’t be disappointed for not getting a silly gift on Christmas morning – unlike you Marian – she isn’t a child.”   
Marian dragged her hand over her face, angry with her older sister for being such an idiot.   
“Anne – she will be devastated. You’re her companion and she will want to receive a Christmas gift from you.”   
“She will not, she knows me.” Anne persisted and Marian quirked her eyebrow,   
“Ann has been excited for Christmas since November…”  
“What’s your point Marian?” Anne asked irritated as she really needed to get going with her paperwork, Marian exhaled loudly,   
“The point is that you are the worst. Ann will certainly be polite about it – she is to everyone, and then she will go to bed thinking what she ever did to you, if you really like her and overthink every single thing you’ve said to understand why you wouldn’t gift her anything for Christmas.”  
Anne was beginning to have second-thoughts, and guilt welled up in her chest, what if Marian was right?   
“Surely not?”   
“Anne, I’m telling you this because you are my sister and what more – because Ann is dear to me; she has bought a present for you. Two gifts even. One for the stocking and one other. She has talked of little else but Christmas lately.”  
“Oh Christ… I should’ve known. I’ve only thought about myself… Urgh, are you certain?” Anne eyed her sister hoping she was going to tell her it wasn’t true, but Marian glared at her,   
“Of course I am! I was with her. She put a lot of thought into her gifts and you haven’t even got her anything.”   
Anne folded her papers hurriedly, flicking her pocket-watch open, eying the thing for a second,   
“I’ve got time.”   
“You’ve got today. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow and the shops are closed.”   
“When do they close? 17, roughly right?” Anne asked as she was throwing on the coat that sat on her chair, Marian sighed,   
“Yes. You have approximately an hour.”   
“I’ll make it.” Anne argued, and Marian looked at her in disbelief.   
“You don’t deserve Ann, you know, that right?”   
“I am more or less fully aware of that – but I don’t have time for self-doubt and self-loathing at present.” Anne told her before walking out her study with quick strides, hurrying downstairs, putting her hat and gloves on as she walked. She contemplated taking a horse but she quickly decided against it, it would take far too long to ready, and besides she could walk anywhere in twenty-five minutes which meant she had about thirty-five minutes to find Ann two gifts – one for her stocking and one to give at the table. Anne used the time it took to walk into Halifax to think over what Ann could possibly want for Christmas. Maybe some new earrings? Or a book? Or maybe some new watercolours – she seemed to run out all the time, and maybe Anne could find some unusually pretty colours… Anne’s brain was reeling, trying to think of thoughtful things to give her wife. Nothing was good enough, and she was much too late to get anything really good – she didn’t have time to go to York, Halifax would have to do.   
  
It was getting dark when Anne finally came into Halifax and she cursed under her breath – most shops had already closed for the day. Why hadn’t she bought Ann something earlier? She adored the woman and she knew how excited she was for Christmas. Anne felt very stupid at present. How could she have neglected to purchase a gift for Ann earlier? Especially knowing now that the woman had already bought her Christmas gifts.   
Anne went into the book shop firstly, having a look around all though a quick one as she had no time to lose.   
“Miss Lister! Are you looking for anything in particular today?” Mr. Whitley asked her, and she frowned but little,   
“Actually, I am looking for a gift for a friend. Do you have anything that might suit as such?”   
“Is this friend of yours a lady?”   
“Well yes, I think it hardly appropriate otherwise. It’s for Miss Walker – my companion.”   
“Oh, I see – last minute purchase?” The man seemed amused and Anne ignored him and went past him to have a look at the sections of books.   
“May I suggest this novel by one Mary Shelley ma’am?” He handed her a book and Anne glanced at it, and shook her head,   
“Too glum I should think. I want something light and…” Anne trailed of as her eye came to rest upon the spine of a book, and she smiled as she reached for it and pulled it out.   
“Shakespeare’s sonnets – a good choice, but perhaps more of a gift one gives a wife or a husband?” Mr. Whitley commented with a careful eye on her, and Anne scoffed quietly thinking amused: ‘it was for her wife’.   
“I think it is a good gift for anyone who knows how to appreciate the gift of words and the world they might paint before our inner-eye.”   
“Of course, Miss Lister – I meant… eh, do you want that one then?” Mr. Whitley stuttered nervously, and Anne looked at the volume in her hand, ‘Sonnets 1-18…’, it was very thin but exquisite and leather-bound – it was a collectors book. Anne might have time to write a few personal notes in it to make it more special, it was a perfect gift for the stocking.   
“Yes, can I have it wrapped?” Anne averted her eyes from the book to Mr. Whitley, who obligingly took the thin book from her hands to wrap it. Anne wanted to make sure no one could see what it was.   
  
When she had paid for the book, she flicked her pocket-watch open, biting her lip as she thought about where she should try next. Not that there were much to choose from at this time of day. In the end Anne managed only to get hold of some new colours for Ann. She would make it up for her though – with a few kisses and whatever else Ann might want from her.   
  
Anne was late for dinner, but Marian said naught about that today, she merely raised an eyebrow and Anne gave her a secretive nod, a bit out of breath from the quick walk home.   
“Anne, where have you been?” Aunt Anne asked her as she came into view for all of them. Anne smiled slightly,   
“Just, finishing some business down in Halifax. I’m sorry that I’m late.”  
“There is still plenty left.” Ann gave her a kind, warm smile and Anne couldn’t help but grin wide at the sight of her at the table – it was a joy to come home to. Anne nodded eagerly, before taking her usual seat, beside Ann, squeezing her hand softly under the table. How she longed to kiss her there and then… Ann snorted at her before whispering,   
“Stop staring, and eat your dinner!”   
“I think I am rather in want for some desert tonight, if you will indulge me.” Anne smirked at the blonde who flushed red, and then suddenly they heard Marian choking on her soup, coughing violently – they both looked at her and Ann got ready to help her, but Marian held up a hand and eventually she stopped but she glared at Anne,   
“You can’t say such things! Not when I’m eating! Not when I’m in the room.”   
Anne actually became a bit crimson at that for a change, and Ann tried her best not to laugh at her, suffocating it by stuffing her face with bread.   
  
Marian found a moment alone with Anne before they all turned in for the night and she eyed her sister intently,   
“What did you get for, Ann?”   
“It’s a surprise.” Anne replied sharply, and Marian exhaled through her nose, closing her eyes – so done with her sister.   
“I’m not Ann, and I just want to make sure you didn’t get her something that will hurt her more than it will make her happy.”   
“I’m good at gifts!” Anne retorted and Marian grimaced at her,   
“You gave our mother a bucket once.”   
“It was a very nice wooden bucket, and we all knew she was going to need it by morning – the way that woman drank! It was a thoughtful gift for a horrendous person.” Anne defended herself and Marian stared at her,   
“You didn’t get her a bucket, right?”   
“Eh, no? – Ann doesn’t… I bought her a novel and new watercolours.” Anne caved in though Marian still looked suspiciously at her,   
“What novel?”   
“Well, Shakespeare – really it’s fine Marian – I am not bad at giving gifts. I just… Christmas haven’t been my… I haven’t been festive for a long time.”   
“Oh, we are all aware!” Marian rolled her eyes, “Now did you get something for aunt?”   
Anne was about to bang her head against the wall – she had forgot!   
“I was thinking of wrapping myself so she may appreciate what a gift I am.” Anne joked, but her sister blinked twice, staring at her in utter disbelief,   
“It was a joke, Marian – Don’t worry I will come up with something...” **  
**“So long as it isn’t…” Marian was interrupted by Anne’s sneer,  
“A bucket – I know Marian! Now get out!”


	24. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 24! It's Christmas Eve - Happy Christmas everyone! Xx
> 
> Prompt: Stars
> 
> Ann wishes upon a star... and sometimes, wishes come true!

It was a starry night, and not a cloud in sight as far as the eye could see. It was one of those magical winter nights, where there’s this feeling lurking, that you could truly make all your dreams come true. Like the heavens are charged with magical abilities. The moon shining round and proud, making the snow sparkle. It was a beautiful night.   
Ann sat in the window, with her robe wrapped around her, and she rested her chin against her knees. She gazed longingly out of the window at the magical night, wishing she was somewhere else, fingering the brim of her robe absentmindedly. Anxiety quelled within her chest, and she felt as though her life was slipping through her fingers and she could do nothing about it. What kind of life was this anyway? Ann thought, lifting her head from her knees to rest it against the cool glass of the window. She was alone and felt the loneliness acutely. Everyone whom she had loved had left her. Nothing mattered if there was no love to give or be given.   
Ann was so alone in this world. Her relatives seemed to only care because of the estate and her money. Sometimes it felt like that to Ann anyway. They thought of her as an invalid, Ann sighed, maybe she was? She didn’t know any longer. She had been in her shell for so long that she might as well be. Every day, she woke up and passed time until she could go to bed again. Nothing seemed to excite her. She was dimmed by all the sorrows she had lived through. Dimmed by her own poor opinion of herself. Anxious that she would die before she had even lived. Tears misted her eyes, and she dried them away with the back of her hand before she once more focused on the stars, trying to find constellations, trying to occupy her mind for a while.   
Ann remembered a time when she had come alive, when she had felt excited and happy. It was seven years ago; she was but nineteen and she had spotted Miss Lister of Shibden Hall and then run after her to invite her to tea. She remembered with fondness that one-time Miss Lister had stopped by to drink tea with them. Ann had been so enthralled by her. If Ann were to describe her with one word she would say ‘alive’. She had been so kind and attentive, and Ann had never met anyone quite like her neither before the event nor after. But of course, Ann thought sadly, Miss Lister was hardly ever at Shibden as she was off travelling in the world, and she hadn’t seen her since. Ann’s eyes watched the stars as her mind was filled with the few, but pleasant memories she had of Miss Lister.   
A star fell from the sky and Ann watched it wide-eyed, wishing with all her heart, that one day she would meet Miss Lister again, and maybe even be whisked off on an adventure. Ann grinned despite herself, it was a silly thought. Something like that would never happen. Ann wasn’t interesting enough or clever enough to capture the interest of someone like her. But Ann thought, sighing loudly, one could always wish upon a star.   
  
Before them stretched a magical winter night; the stars shone brightly, and the moon reflected itself in the snow, making the snow sparkle. The outside was quiet, save from the tiny squeaks coming from the shoes of the two occupants that, despite the late hour, were out walking – admiring the stars.   
“It was a good idea to step outside for some air.” Anne mumbled to Ann who held her arm, her head resting on her shoulder as they walked. They had escaped the bustle inside from all the Christmas festivity, to have a moment alone.   
“You should know by now that my ideas are always good.” Ann teased tiredly and Anne chuckled softly, nodding,   
“True.”   
They walked down the lane from the house, enjoying just being with each other. Anne pointed out a few constellations, talking about them, the mythical stories behind them and Ann listened intently, completely mesmerised by her wife. She always spoke with such passion, and Ann absolutely loved it and felt so proud of her whenever they were in company and something of interest to her was mentioned. How could anyone so clever and interesting have chosen her? Ann was certain that she was the luckiest woman on earth. She was with the love of her life who also just happened to love her back.   
“Do you see those stars over there?” Anne asked her and Ann’s eyes followed her index finger and she nodded,   
“Yes.”   
“That’s Cassiopeia. According to Greek mythology, she was chained to a throne in the heavens by Poseidon for having sacrificed her daughter, Andromeda.” Anne explained to her with a small smile, and Ann gazed at the constellation with furrowed eyebrows,   
“Did she deserve it then?”   
“Mm, well she was vain and arrogant, but I hardly think that’s reason enough for eternal punishment. Then again, she did try to sacrifice her daughter, but in her defence, I will state that they did so because some oracle had told them that it was the only way to save their country.” Anne replied, averting her eyes from the stars to rest them upon her wife instead. Ann felt her eyes on her and met them with hers, leaning into her, sighing content,   
“You know, I remember long ago another starry night like this.”   
“Mm?” Anne raised a quizzical brow, and Ann smiled up at her,   
“It must have been five years ago. It was such a magical night, but I was feeling rather low.”   
“Why ’s that?”   
“Oh, I felt alone, and I suppose I was bored – I felt as though I was living but I wasn’t alive.” Ann described to her and Anne nodded sympathetic, she knew what sorrows Ann had suffered, only to then be left alone rattling in that big old house with no one to confide in, no one who could understand her.   
“I saw a star fall from the sky.” Ann continued, her eyes brightening, and Anne beamed,  
“Did you wish upon a star?”   
Ann blushed slightly but her smile didn’t falter,  
“I did.”   
“What did you ask for then? If you can remember.”   
“I wished to meet you again someday and for you to whisk me off on an adventure.” Ann revealed and the brunette was inevitably touched by that. She gasped and grinned wide,   
“You never told me before!”   
“Well, I didn’t even think of it until tonight.”   
“So, wishes do come true sometimes.” Anne contemplated, and Ann touched her cheek,   
“Oh, this is so much better than what I ever could’ve wished for!”   
“God, knows I love you!” Anne touched her forehead to hers, and Ann closed her eyes,   
“Thank you for making me feel alive again!”   
“Oh, I’d say it is rather…” Anne was interrupted by Ann’s amused scoff,   
“Just kiss me! That sentence clearly should’ve been followed by a kiss.”   
Anne’s hand cupped her face, as she tilted her head slightly and leant down to capture her lips in a loving, tender kiss under the stars. 


	25. Christmas Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Christmas morning and also the last day of this Christmas Calendar. I just want to thank everyone who has read it all, or just some bits of it. I mean it might not be great, but you know - whatever gets me through this pandemic. It means so much to me that people have read it and liked it - parts of it. Happy Christmas to all of you! And Stay safe! Xx 
> 
> Prompt: Christmas Morning 
> 
> Ann is a child on Christmas morning... and Anne has second thoughts about her gifts...

Ann were lying in the dark, staring into the ceiling of the bed, eyes fully open, and her fingers drummed against the cover lightly and quietly. She could hardly contain the excitement she felt, waking up next to her wonderful wife their first Christmas morning spent together and what more, waking up knowing there was a whole family to celebrate it with. Her very own family. Ann glanced at her wife who were fast asleep still, her arm resting over Ann’s abdomen protectively, her chin on Ann’s shoulder, and she could feel her calm breathing against her neck. The blonde couldn’t help but grin at her, she was so beautiful when she was asleep, her features relaxed, and all worries and weights lifted from her. Ann bit her lip, starting to feel impatient and restless, surely it must be morning now? They should get up. Everyone gets up early on Christmas morning. What time was it anyway? Ann’s eyes found the silver pocket-watch resting on the nightstand on Anne’s side and Ann carefully moved Anne’s arm, grimacing when Anne mumbled in her sleep, thinking she had woken her up. But Anne continued to sleep, and Ann let out a breath as she turned her wife on her back, and then leaned over her to reach the watch. Her fingers touched the cold metal, and she grasped it, thinking she had succeeded when Anne moved under her,  
“What are you doing?” Anne spoke hoarsely, and Ann froze,  
“Eh… you’re asleep.”  
“Mm…” Anne mumbled, “Why are your… in my face?”  
“Sorry.” Ann flushed hurriedly withdrawing herself, the watch still in her hand. Anne groaned, shaking her head slowly with eyes closed as if trying to wake up properly. Ann watched her amused, leaning down to press a kiss against her lips. Anne sighed content, eyes still closed, and her whole form relaxed again, and Ann snickered at her,  
“Anne!?”  
“I’m awake!” Anne sat up straight almost knocking Ann by the chin, and Ann smirked at her; she looked positively sleep drunken for once, hairs plastered to her face and she barely managed to keep her eyes open.  
“It’s Christmas morning!” Ann said excitedly, and Anne tried to focus her eyes on her, but they stung and then she saw the pocket-watch in her wife’s hand and she lazily took it from her,  
“That’s mine.”  
“Did you hear what I said, dearest? It’s Christmas morning!” Ann tried again, grinning wide and Anne’s forehead wrinkled in confusion, flickering the watch open and looking at it. She squinted her eyes trying to focus them on the hands of the watch, moving the watch in-front of herself to be able to see.  
“Christmas! Anne!” Ann’s hands shook her wife at the shoulders and Anne moaned,  
“Ann for heaven’s sake, she’s not even five!”  
“Oh well, she is soon, and we should get up and go downstairs to sit by the fire and…” Ann was rambling, and it was too early in the morning for Anne to fully hear that, she merely sighed, resting back against the pillows, eyelids heavy,  
“She’s four! The others won’t come down until earliest at seven.”   
“Well, you always like being on time.”  
“Ann, I want sleep, I need sleep.” Anne groaned, moving closer to her wife, placing her head under her chin, breathing calmly trying to fall asleep again. Ann’s fingers ran over her back, and Anne smiled small, nuzzling herself nearer her wife, thinking she had won and would get to sleep.  
“Since when?”  
“What?” Anne whined, pressing her face into her wife’s chest, willing her to shut up. But Ann frowned, licking her lips absentmindedly,  
“You are always up early.”  
“Well yes, but not at four in the morning, and especially not when I went to bed at half past two.” Anne growled tiredly into Ann’s neck, and the blonde seemed disappointed,  
“Why would you go to bed that late when you knew it was Christmas morning today?”  
“Because Ann… I’m not,” Anne stopped herself, she was going to say ‘five’, “I don’t care.”  
“Don’t care?” Ann’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline and she scowled, before pushing Anne off her, the brunette groaned but hugged her pillow to her instead and Ann glared at her before throwing the cover of herself, sitting up on the side of the bed before standing up, stretching her back.  
“Anne I really think…” Ann began, turning around, only to find her wife fast asleep again with the pillow to her chest and Ann rolled her eyes,  
“Fine.”  
  
Ann wouldn’t let Anne’s glumness take any of her excitement from her, instead she wrapped her robe around herself, and put her feet in her slippers before quietly opening the door. Cringing as she set her foot down out in the hallway because the old wood squeaked loudly. Ann closed the door behind her carefully and when she turned around again, she contained a squeal as she on quick feet ran down the hallway to the stairs and then took four or five steps at the time, literally leaping down the stairs like an excited child on… Christmas morning. Only she was a full-grown woman of thirty-one. But Ann didn’t care, no one saw her in any case. Ann stopped suddenly down by the stairs, marvelling at how quiet the whole house was. No one else were awake. Not even the servants. Ann realised how much sound she must’ve made, galloping down the stairs and decided to sneak on her tiptoes into the drawing room where she had hung the stockings up yester-evening. The room was a bit chilly since there was no fire, but Ann didn’t mind overly-much, she had her eyes fixated on the magical stockings hanging from the mantel. She sat down on the floor, taking in the room that had been decorated for the season after all, despite Anne’s ill-will to do so. It was beautiful, and the whole room smelt of Christmas. Ann inhaled it, and closed her eyes, smiling – she loved Christmas. It was something special about the atmosphere in a house on Christmas morning, that Ann couldn’t for the world describe, but she enjoyed it, loved it, and it was the only day of the year that she would bolt out of bed at such an early hour. Of course, it would’ve been nicer if the fire had been lit, Ann thought, but she didn’t blame anyone – they didn’t know that she would be up and about so early in the morning. It was getting a bit chilly on the floor though, but Ann wrapped the robe tighter around herself, staring at the stockings wondering what might be in them, hoping that the others would soon rise so they could open their stockings. Ann glanced at the clock in the corner of the room, she was nearing half past four, and she sighed, it wasn’t likely that anyone would come down for a few hours more.  
She sat hugging her knees to her chest, feeling impatient – she wanted to see Anne’s reaction to her gifts, and she wanted the day to be perfect for their first Christmas together. But Ann closed her eyes frowning, Anne wasn’t equally keen and still asleep upstairs. Maybe Ann should go upstairs again and try and rouse her tired wife from her sleep? Ann thought for a second, imagining how that might go when something touched her shoulder and she jumped out of her skin on the floor, looking behind her to see her wife standing there in her robe with a thick-knitted blanket wrapped around herself. She had dark circles under her eyes, but she was smiling softly,  
“You’re awake!?” Ann looked astonished and Anne nodded tiredly,  
“Mm. Couldn’t stay asleep knowing you were down here by yourself.”  
Ann smiled brightly at her, grateful that she had come down to be with her and Anne sunk down beside her on the floor.  
“Let’s get a fire going, shall we?” Anne looked at Ann with a small smile, before crawling to the fireplace and doing just that. Ann watched her in awe as she lit the fireplace. No one was as able as her wife. Ann was sure she could do absolutely anything she put her mind to. Anne threw her a killer smile, that always made Ann swoon, before kneeling over to her. The brunette wrapped the blanket around Ann as well, hugging her to her, kissing her over the hair,  
“Happy Christmas Ann!”  
“Happy Christmas!” Ann beamed, resting her head against Anne’s shoulder, staring into the growing fire that danced before her eyes. It wasn’t long until she felt Anne weigh down on her, and the woman moved to lie her head in her lap,  
“What are you doing, Anne?” Ann asked amused and she mumbled into her lap,  
“I’m just resting my eyes for a minute.”  
Ann chuckled quietly at her, running her fingers through her hair, down her back in calm soothing movements, lulling her to sleep. She placed soft, sweet kisses on her temple and over her hair, feeling ridiculously happy at the moment. This was so far a great Christmas morning.  
  
They had been sat in-front of the fire a good two hours and a half, well to be fair; Ann had sat in front of the fire – Anne had slept in front of it, when the rest of their family finally woke up. Marian helped Aunt Anne down the stairs, and as they were about to enter the drawing room, Aunt Anne stopped Marian suddenly,  
“Why…”  
Marian didn’t finish her sentence as her aunt shushed her,  
“Look at them. Look at our little Annie, she looks so sweet sleeping on the floor!”  
Marian almost rolled her eyes at her aunt, but even she couldn’t argue against the fact that they both looked rather sweet there in-front of the fire.  
Their sounds had however alerted Ann who was fully awake, and the blonde turned and saw them standing in the doorway and made to move but Aunt Anne waved a hand,  
“Don’t get up on our account, dear.”  
“We were just… I was just excited about Christmas morning is all.” Ann blushed prettily and both women smiled at her kindly,  
“Oh, I agree Christmas is lovely. I myself could hardly sleep last night.” Aunt Anne said with a generous smile at the young woman. Marian nodded,  
“Yes… but I see that our ‘chief’ was less so.”  
Ann snickered,  
“Well, at least she’s here.”  
“Mm. I tell you what…” Marian kneeled down by Ann, and nudged her gently,  
“Let’s play a little prank on Madam.”  
Ann’s eyes lit up, and she moved carefully from under Anne, lifting her head from her lap, and Marian took her place instead. Ann began humming ‘silent night’ to rise Anne from her slumber. Aunt Anne sat on the sofa trying to contain her gleeful chuckles as well as her fellows. It was hard to keep a straight face. But then Anne moved, groaning, smiling, probably at hearing Ann’s voice, and then her dark eyes opened,  
“A-“Anne’s eyes opened fully and she screamed her head off at the sight of Marian towering over her. Anne pushed Marian away from her, scrambled up from the floor, her face red, chest heaving quickly,  
“Marian, what the fuck!?”  
“Language!” Aunt Anne reprimanded her, and Anne glanced at her briefly, before eying her sister again who was laughing on the floor with tears running down her cheeks. Ann was behind the sofa screaming of laughter, and Anne shook her head at them, exhaling slowly,  
“You are so childish.”  
“And you’re such a scaredy cat.” Marian retorted, and Anne blew air through her nose,  
“Well, your face is rather frightening to wake up to.”  
“Ah!” Marian huffed, and Ann though still trembling from laughter sat up straight after sharing a look with Aunt Anne,  
“Oh look!” Ann pointed out the window and the Lister sisters were distracted from their pending argument,  
“What?”  
“The snow sparkles in the sun.” Ann frowned a bit, she hadn’t a ready reply.  
“It’s still dark out…” Anne glanced at her confused, and Ann tried smiling convincingly as if she really had meant to say that. But then her eyes found the stockings on the mantel and they widened with excitement,  
“We have to open our stockings.”  
“We do, I’ll get the Captain.” Anne made for the door but as if summoned, her father appeared in the doorway, and they greeted him warmly. Anne sat down beside Ann on the sofa, and the blonde was fidgeting quite a lot, thrilled that it was finally time to open their stockings. Anne couldn’t help but beam warmly at her, she was captivating. Lost in thoughts and looks on her wife, she was surprised when Ann spoke to her,  
“Do you want me to give you your stocking, Anne?”  
Anne frowned, seeing as the others had already fetched their own,  
“I didn’t finish mine.”  
“No but did.” Ann smiled, standing up again to fetch it, handing it to Anne with a smirk,  
“Happy Christmas.”  
Anne looked at the stocking placed on her knee, it was nicely embroidered with her name, and then on the back, Ann had embroidered a small top hat, and a pocket-watch on the brim. Marian was right, she didn’t deserve Ann, she was too pure for this world sometimes. Ann observed her,  
“Do you like it then?”  
Anne’s eyes went from the stocking, and met the bright eyes of her wife, and she nodded,  
“Mm…”  
Anne leant forwards, and gently pecked her cheek, making Ann grin content.  
“Should we open them at the same time?” Marian asked after having pretended to be engrossed with the stitches on her stocking to give her sister a moment of privacy.  
“Yes. Happy Christmas!” Anne smiled, and the other’s answered as a choir,  
“Happy Christmas!”  
Ann who had been up since before four, and who had been like a child… on Christmas… all morning suddenly waited patiently and didn’t dig into her stocking. She was watching Anne’s face as she opened hers. There was a new pen, and a few treats from her aunt, father and sister and then she pulled out a small box, it was signed ‘with love from Ann’, and she glanced up at her wife for a second smiling, and Ann eyed her intently,  
“Open it.”  
Anne lifted the lid of the box and inside were an exquisite and expensive emerald green cravat. She touched the silk carefully with her fingers, feeling the smoothness before her misted eyes found Ann’s,  
“Thank you! It’s… beautiful.”  
“Well, you look handsome in green.” Ann winked, and Anne squeezed her hand gently, wishing that she could kiss her. It was a thoughtful gift, and Anne suddenly started to feel a bit self-conscious about her gifts to Ann, which she not only wasn’t entirely happy with, she had also bought them last minute because she hadn’t intended to do Christmas gifts. When Ann had seen her wife’s reaction to her gift, she opened her own stocking. First out was new pencils from Marian, and then a few treats and ribbons from Aunt Anne and Captain Lister and then she fished up the wrapped thin collectors’ book. Anne started to regret her purchase. Why had she bought that thing? And not the whole collection of Sonnet’s? She had been up half the night, inscribing it, filling it with notes for Ann; words of affection and love and memories. But… Anne frowned worriedly, this wasn’t her best gift, though still, she thought, better than nothing at all. Ann however opened the gift eagerly and smiled up at Anne when she saw the title.  
“Shakespeare’s sonnet’s!”  
“Uh, yes, only eighteen I’m afraid. But I have inscribed it for you.”  
“Why, I didn’t know you were such a romantic.” Ann teased as she flickered through the pages, that were all full of Anne’s own words, interpretations and love.  
“I’m sorry, it isn’t quite as good as yours.” Anne apologised but Ann merely looked up at her through teary eyes,  
“It’s perfect. It’s full of your words and thoughts, and I shall keep it for always!”  
“Do you really like it?” Anne gave her a sceptical look and Ann nodded,  
“Of course I do, It’s from you!”  
Anne seemed relieved and a cheerful grin made it onto her features, and she moved a little closer to Ann on the sofa.  
  
When the stockings had been opened and enjoyed, they all moved to sit at the table to enjoy a Christmas breakfast before Church. They were all of them merry, and no argument sparked during it, which considering that both Anne and Marian were sat there was a Christmas miracle. After breakfast, whilst they were still seated at the table, they exchanged their last Christmas gifts. Ann gave Anne hers first, and all watched as she opened it. Anne’s eyes grew wide,  
“Ann! Not for me, surely not?”  
“Of course they’re for you!” Ann smiled, and Anne looked down at the silver onyx cufflinks her mouth open, stunned, it was such a considerate gift.  
“They are… God, Ann, they’re gorgeous!”  
“They are engraved on the back.” Ann gave her a mischievous smirk, and Anne lifted one of them up and turned it around and she actually gasped quietly as tears threatened to spill over, on one of the cuffs it said, ‘AA 30/3 1834’ and on the other, ‘Amor vincit omnia’.  
“Ann!”  
Anne was speechless, a tear leaked from her eye, it was so superbly done, it meant so much and her stomach sank suddenly as she realised her gift – sucked.  
“I had them engraved at two different jewellers, so they wouldn’t know what was on the other and figure something out.” Ann whispered to her, and Anne chuckled at her, drying her tears away with the back of her hand,  
“I don’t think I deserve you. You are too good for me!”  
Ann shook her head, grasping Anne’s hand affectionately, and Anne was then forced to give her gift and she did so reluctantly, and Marian averted her eyes, groaning,  
“Oh, this is going to be embarrassing!”  
“It’s not a bucket is it?” Aunt Anne inquired, remembering a Christmas long time ago, and Marian shook her head,  
“But I almost wish it was. An engraved bucket.”  
“Oh, Christ.” Aunt Anne mumbled, as Ann opened her gift, but Anne stopped her suddenly,  
“You know, I’ve been thinking. If you want us to dress Jack up as a reindeer when we go to church – that’s absolutely fine with me… and, and, um, if you want, I’ll do um, anything you have your heart set on doing today, or any other day.”  
Ann laughed at her nervous wife, but only very kindly,  
“Calm down, Anne – it’s the thought that counts.”  
“Mm.” Anne’s eyes darted to her sister and aunt, who both looked at Ann with some agony.  
“Oh!” Ann exclaimed, happy as anyone, “New watercolours! It’s just what I needed, thank you, Anne!”  
Anne was all astonishment and suspected that Ann was overdoing it for her sake.  
“Do you like them?”  
“Yes, they’re lovely.”  
Anne almost breathed a sigh of relief, but she would have to be unusually kind and accommodating to her wife for months to come, it was nothing less of what she deserved.  
  
When all the gifts had been opened, they went upstairs to dress for church. Anne made sure to wear her new cravat and her new cufflinks and to kiss her wife as often as she could before they needed to leave for downstairs. Ann smiled mischievous at her after Anne had bestowed another kiss on her lips,  
“You know, tonight, when we go to bed…”  
“Mm…” Anne looked at her enthusiastically, as she had hopes for a trip to Italy when night did come.  
“I would like to paint you.”  
“Paint me?” Anne asked dumbfounded, that did not take the turn she thought it would.  
“Yes, _you_.”  
“Alright, what kind of painting? A portrait?”  
Anne made herself agreeable, she did have a lot to make up for, and Ann grinned, before giving her a smouldering look, her eyes travelling down the lengths of her body,  
“No, Croquis.”  
Before Anne had time to do anything other than gawk and turn crimson, Ann moved past her for the door, but she threw her a look over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow,  
“I didn’t know you were such a blushing flower.”  
“When did you… how did you, who told you…? Are you sure?” Anne stuttered, and Ann was pleased at her reaction,  
“Well, it’s not much different from what you do. I mean your diary must be positively filthy by now.”  
“It’s not the same.”  
“Hm? I don’t agree.” Ann smiled, “In any case, I should like to sketch you and after… well then I’d have no objection to share a few _kisses_.”  
“Kisses?” Anne repeated surprised, and Ann laughed,  
“The kind of _kisses_ that you write about…”  
“He…” Anne almost began laughing but then she stopped, “Wait, you know?!”  
“It doesn’t take a genius to crack your code, once you know certain phrases.” Ann teased, and Anne looked panicked,  
“Oh… do you think anyone else would know?”  
“Imagine if someone found them and did just that!” Ann laughed humoured, and Anne shook her head laughing with her now,  
“That… now that’s ridiculous!”  
There was a tap on the door, and Marian opened it,  
“Are you both dressed? The sleigh is ready.”  
“Yes.” Ann replied, smirking at her wife before they ventured downstairs with Marian and outside, taking their places in the sleigh. With merry laughter, and rosy cheeks they then drove off in their winter wonderland, to celebrate Christmas mass with all their neighbours and friends. It was truly, a happy and blessed Christmas morning.


End file.
